A Polaroid Allegory
by tea-with-emilia
Summary: This is a collection of anecdotes and moments, a series of mini-stories (or less) from varying heroes' perspectives. There's a little bit of everything: funny, sad, thoughtful, romantic (!) and rabble. (Probably a lot of rabble, knowing me ;)) Enjoy!
1. Chaos

In the beginning, there was only chaos.

* * *

Of course, Cronus loved chaos. How could he not? It was the essence of his being. Chaos was the blood that pulsed through his veins, it was the honey-like elixir that Cronus sought to drench the world in. Chaos? Chaos was _perfect_.

Cronus was happy to admit to himself that although it was his job to spread discord and ruin as far and wide as his immortal life allowed, it was always extra sweet when the mortal boy's plans fell to chaos. Sure, Cronus' primary function was to sink the world into a pit of that luxurious ruin, but if he could disrupt Jay's determined, hyper-organised plans whilst at it: well, Cronus wasn't one to deny the joy it gave him.

Every time his perfect, chaos-free plans fell in, the mortal boy would grow more and more frustrated. Every time his beloved girlfriend fell into a pothole of sorts, or every time Cronus would slip through their cutely eloquent traps and schemes, Cronus would sense the boy's rising anger.

The boy was naive. He had no sense of time. He craved such perfect order, and would repeatedly seek it, hatching flawless scheme after scheme to attain such awful, ugly peace. He would become so annoyed, so intently irked by his own shortcomings: why, the boy was simply mortal. He did not have the awareness of an immortal like Cronus, whom had watched chaos ebb and flow and lap at the world's edges since the dawn of time. He did not watch as every day, every month, every century, small plans fell to chaos and yet order and peace reigned the mortal world.

No, the mortals did not know time as Cronus did. They did not have an appreciation of their insignificance. Perhaps Cronus would have won more quickly if he hadn't been so preoccupied with exquisitely foiling their plans just to catch a glimpse of chaos in their reactions.

But then again, eternity was such a long time. Cronus may as well have some fun before the mortals entered the underworld.

After all, mortals that were as fun to taunt as Jay were seldom seen.


	2. Vengeance

The bathroom mirror was foggy, opaque with the steam from Archie's shower. The air was thick with mist, like a sauna as Archie dried himself off after his shower. At least Neil wasn't here to whistle or something. The whole team knew exactly when Neil was in the shower, thanks to his musical grooming habits.

As he towelled off his re-dyed hair, Archie glanced in the mirror. Sure, you never could tell what colour your hair was when it was wet. But was it normally this… pink?

Archie squinted at his reflection, rubbed away some of the fog on it to try and see better. No, no way. It was definitely _not _purple though. He grabbed the bottle of dye from the bin- maybe there'd been a mistake? Had someone switched it while he wasn't watching?

_Lightning purple, _the packet said.

Archie glanced in the mirror again. Whatever colour his hair was, it sure as hell wasn't purple.

**_*earlier that day*_**

"Ugh, I've had it! If Archie's going to be like this, I'm leaving." Theresa had huffed as she stood in the kitchen, Archie having made fun of Theresa again when she had a vision. It wasn't her fault that she had to be the team's television aerial for the future, was it? She'd quite happily turn off her psychic powers for some time, if she could.

"You know, he doesn't know what it's like to have to be the fortune teller EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY." She grumbled again. "Maybe Archie could try being the team's psychic for once? Maybe he could try being mocked every time some stupid vision came into his head." She pouted, arms crossed. Neil stood at the other end of the kitchen, fiddling with his mirror absentmindedly.

"Well, are you gonna say anything, Neil? You heard the him harassing me!"

Neil turned to look at Theresa, a faint smile on his face. Theresa raised her eyebrows.

"What?" She demanded.

"Well, you know," Neil began slowly, "you could get revenge on him. I mean, he does deserve it."

"And how am I meant to do that?"

Neil grinned. "Well, Archie's going to dye his hair soon. Tonight, even."

"Really?" Theresa asked. "How do you know that?"

"Honey, puh-lease. His roots have been visible for weeks. It's definitely time for a touch up."

"I'm listening. But what are we meant to do while Archie dyes his hair? Ransack his room? Steal his skateboard? Burn his study notes?"

"Theresa, please. You have got to give me more credit. Now, imagine if Archie's hair was to go a colour other than purple." At that, a wicked grin crept across Theresa's face.

"I'm in. What do you need me to do?"

"Pick a colour." At that, Theresa smiled even more. She even chuckled evilly.

"Candy floss pink."

**_*present*_**

"Alright, who did this?!" Archie yelled, standing in front of the bathroom. At Archie's yell, Herry's head leant out of his room.

"Archie, dude, is your hair normally that colour?" He asked, cracking up with laughter. Archie's frowned, glaring at Herry.

"You think I'd _choose_ to let my hair go candy-freaking pink?!"

"Oi, Odie, come and look! Archie's hair is pink!"

"Hey, I am not a zoo animal! You did this!" Archie growled, as Odie poked his head out of his room too.

"Hey, nice hair Archie!" Guffawed Odie, as a fit of laughter seized him. He doubled over, heading back into his room, the rough tinkling of his laughter audible even through his closed door. Archie frowned even harder now. Archie went to speak again, but was cut off by Odie, speaking between fits of laughter.

"Candy-" He cracked up again. "It looks like cotton-" Odie grabbed his tummy. "Cotton candy!"

Herry was still laughing too. "Hey, Arch, can I feel your hair? I wanna know if it feels like fairy floss as well as looking like it!" Herry's ribs shook with the laughter as he crouched over, rolling onto his back on the floor. Archie slammed the bathroom door shut. Odie and Herry scarcely noticed.

The team sat sprawled across the various lounges and chairs of the lounge room, about to put their weekly Friday night movie on.

"Hey, where's Archie?" Asked Atlanta. "He never misses movie night."

Herry grinned, chuckling at the memory. "He's, ugh, had a wardrobe malfunction." Theresa and Neil shared a smile across the room, but otherwise remained impassive.

"What do you mean?" Asked Atlanta. "He always wears the same clothes. How could he have a wardrobe issue?"

At that moment, Archie shyly walked in. The whole team turned to face him, and a smile began to paint each of their faces. He was a sight: the dye had worked perfectly. His hair was a fluffy pink, and looked like you could just pull a piece of candy right off it. In contrast with the light, happy shade of his hair, Archie's face was scrunched into a frown and his arms were crossed tightly. He was an angry toad with a crown of pink, and he was glaring at the team.

"Who did this?!" He spat angrily. "I can't leave the house-" Maybe Archie would have finished his sentence, except for the bubbling, uncontrollable giggles that rose from Theresa.

"Pink!" She wheezed, doubling over in her seat. Herry joined in too now, and Odie.

"That-" puffed Neil between chortles, "does NOT suit your complexion!" Then Neil too was lost to the laughter.

Archie looked over to Atlanta for support, only to see that she was holding her ribs as if her life depended on them. "Archie, even I wouldn't go _that_ pink!" She giggled, grinning at him. Archie glared back at her. Some friend she was. He surveyed the room angrily, as all six of the teenagers were seized with giggles, unable to look at him for more than a moment before they lost it again. Archie looked around for someone, anyone who might support him.

"Fine." He huffed. "I'm not leaving the brownstone until it goes back to purple." Archie stamped his foot for effect, but the team were all biting their lips as if trying to hold something in.

"Archie, don't be a sour puss." Atlanta goaded.

"Yea, Arch, you gotta have a personality that matches your hair now." Said Jay, grinning.

"This had better be temporary." Archie spat.

"Nope, it's permanent!" Yelled Neil. The team descended into a chaos of laughter again. They just couldn't get enough of it, could they? Archie grumbled inwardly. He turned on his heel, ready to retreat for a quiet night on his own. At least his bed wouldn't laugh at him.

As he retreated, a pair of lithe, light footsteps followed Archie into the kitchen. He turned around now, out of view of the rest of the team, expecting to see Atlanta. Instead, his not-so-favourite red head, her long hair matching her flushed cheeks, was right behind him. Maybe Theresa was here to apologise? Hey, Archie might even take an apology from _her, _on a day like today.

"So, Archie," she began, grinning. "How does it feel to be made fun of for something you have no control over?"

"It- it was you!" Archie gasped. Her green eyes flashed dangerously at him.

"Don't worry, it's actually only semi permanent. Wouldn't want you to suffer too long." She said acidly, smiling like a cheshire cat. "Just long enough." She turned on her heel, heading back to the lounge room.

Archie sighed. _You win this one, Theresa._


	3. Hate

AN: Massive thanks to HoneyGoddess for the review, and to all readers. I'm not really an AxA fan, but I've decided to try and give it a go.

Atlanta had hated Archie at first. Stereotyped him instantly: weak, insecure guy with an ego longer than his dick. And he'd lived right up to that reputation at first. Skulking off, pretending he was "patrolling" (whatever that was meant to mean), refusing to join in, and generally being a douche. Atlanta wasn't someone with a lot of patience back then. She'd become quickly frustrated with the boy's antics. If you were scared, you swallowed it and kept on. Don't do this half-assed "I'm leaving" business and then turn right back around. Her time spent in team sports had taught her that if you were in a team, you stayed. And if you wanted to leave: great, but be decent about it.

She'd had more respect for Jay at first. He was cool, calm, authoritative. Not quite her type, sure, but still an interesting guy and someone she could easily talk to. They bonded easily, and they had a simple friendship that Atlanta sometimes wished Archie might take note of. Jay didn't go around trying to prove his masculinity, fighting people (well, not much). Archie seemed to have missed the "girls actually want you to be yourselves and act like people" thing. Where Archie aimed to impress, Jay didn't seem to need to satiate his ego.

And, yet, as time drew on Atlanta found herself more and more drawn to this insecure kid. Living in such close proximity, she began to understand that his quick remarks were more a shield than a dagger, and she didn't always mind that he doted on her. She still remembered that day when the team was packing up, ready to leave (they were so silly to think Cronus vanquished. Like, really?) and he tried awkwardly to say good bye. She'd fished him out of his awkwardness as she usually had to, smiling kindly. _Maybe I do like him, _she'd thought briefly. It wasn't long before she found herself acting more and more in his favour.

Yes, all his feisty attacks were kind of annoying, and Atlanta was positive he was trying to assert his male dominance or whatever. But soon she found herself playing along. It was fun to race him, to have a partner to skate with and watch action or horror movies alongside. He was a guy of two poles: on one hand, he had such a hard shell and sometimes it pissed Atlanta off. Other times, he was meek and afraid enough that Atlanta couldn't help but appreciate her own calm strength. She wasn't blind to his affections: she just wasn't sure if she was ready for them. Archie carried with him a mixed bag of emotions, both daggers and diamonds. Sometimes he was such a shallow guy, goading her, but he was learning. Learning to listen to what she wanted to protest about, to her concerns, showing weakness. Occasionally she'd even caught glimpses of his poetry books, annotated and bookmarked with care and precision. Atlanta still wasn't totally decided as to whether Archie had meant for her to see them or not.

He was a difficult guy, Archie, but he was slowly learning. Learning to use love and kindness to connect with people, rather than shrugging them off with a slew of insults and indifference. Archie had a great vulnerability about him, and Atlanta felt like she was helping him come to terms with it. And in turn, he was opening his eyes to the world around him that little more.

Who knew: maybe Archie would even reach the stage when Atlanta could explain to him that she was a feminist.

But she didn't want to push him too hard.

Does anyone have any requests? I don't know, certain characters or scenes (e.g. school life or learning to drive or family lives) they'd like me to write about?


	4. Weak

Just what I imagine goes on in Archie's head when he thinks about crushes. You know: confusion, fear, excitement, anger, anticipation... the usual.

* * *

_I-I like Atlanta. And I want her to be my girlfriend._

The words sounded scary enough in Archie's head, let alone out loud. How could he possibly admit that he had a crush on her? Oh no, no no no. He couldn't. Archie wasn't stupid. He might have made his slip ups, but he learnt from them. He'd been burned by love once before, and he wasn't silly enough to repeat such a stupid, amateur mistake. No, Archie was a warrior. He was above this stupid, immature game of love.

Right?

_Yes, yea I am. I'm above this stupid game. I gotta focus on beating an immortal god… I don't have time for this. I can't have a split focus…_

But even as Archie thought the words, he knew he didn't quite agree. After all, Jay was the freakin' leader and he still seemed to find time for Theresa. Gosh, if only it was as easy between Archie and Atlanta as it was between those two. Jay was always so nervous about it all, but he had no reason to be. I mean, the two got along so easily. _Like you and Atlanta…_

_No, shut up!_ Archie told his brain.

The truth was that Atlanta, well, she wasn't like other girls… Oh god, that sounded bad. Archie knew if Atlanta caught him saying that, she'd never let him live it down. "We're all different, you know" she'd say, punching him playfully. Or worse, she'd do that thing where she grinned so mischievously and just say, "Oh, come on, you can do better than that Archie!".

Either way, it would feel like a stab wound to the chest. Didn't she understand what it was like to be afraid of rejection? Or, or afraid of not being liked back? Then again, maybe she didn't know the feeling. She didn't seem the lovey-dovey type. Anyway, since when would she ever have loved someone who wasn't head over heels for her? Atlanta was too tough for all this business, and so was Archie.

Oh, who was he kidding.

Archie had never met someone as gutsy as Atlanta. He'd sort of just thought all girls were the same: make up obsessed, wimpy, flicking their stupid long hair and batting their pretty eyelashes, saying anything that would make guys smile. And Archie never had minded that… they were cute, and they were easy to be with. He didn't need to make crazy conversation or do that stupid "being yourself" or "getting all deep" thing that everyone talked about. He didn't mind it when they just giggled sweetly at his jokes or adored his muscles, and it definitely turned him on.

Until he met Atlanta, that is.

She seemed to expect more of Archie. He realised quickly that he couldn't just slap her butt or make some sexist joke she could laugh at. Not without getting beaten up, that is. He wouldn't just get giggled at when the conversation was in a lull, and he couldn't get away with lying or ignoring her when he wasn't interested. Again, that would earn him a kick, or a flick on the shoulder. And despite all this, Archie had been hooked on something about Atlanta for a very long time.

Maybe it was her red hair. Or how fast she ran. Or the fact that they could go boarding together and she didn't fill the silence with stuff Archie didn't care about. Or how when she laughed, it was genuine. Or if he made a joke, she'd give him a quip of her own. Or how she was so easy to spar with, or how she wasn't afraid of water or rejection like Archie was. All the girls he'd ever dated, Archie had been the one who was big and brave- they wanted "saving". With Atlanta, it was the opposite. And Archie wasn't sure he minded.

Atlanta was the first girl who was a true friend to Archie, and ironically the first girl he felt something towards that he could only call "love".


	5. Winter

**Hey! Good to see you, if you're reading this ^-^ Anyway, lately I've been using OTP prompts to get creative, and one of them was "Winter"- this was the writing that came of it. Hope you like it, please review! (especially nice reviews. Nice reviews are the greatest thing ever. No such thing as too many.)**

* * *

Winter passed through the brownstone like a snow storm, wrapping her cold arms around the heroes and squeezing them tight.

For Archie, winter was cold. Cold and distant and empty.

"Hey, Atlanta…"

Her tired eyes met his as she looked up from hanging her wet clothes in front of the heater, soaked from the recent snow they'd endured as they walked home from school. Her body was soaked with tiredness, and lethargy, ache and exhaustion. Nonetheless, Atlanta responded.

"Yea, Archie?" She wiped frost off her brow, before removing her mittens altogether and throwing them at the carpeted ground in dismay.

"Did you want to, maybe, see that new movie they've got showing at the moment? The one with Angelina Jolie? I heard it was feminine."

Atlanta sighed.

"Feminist, you mean?"

"Yea." Said Archie, rubbing his hands together to hide his embarrassment. "Yea, that."

Atlanta smiled at Archie, but tiredly.

"Maybe after the worst of this winter passes. Once exams are over, and we're seeing less of Cronus again."

"But, I thought-"

"Not now, Archie." Atlanta gave Archie a peck on the cheek as she passed him, but it wasn't the same. Her lips were cold from the sleet, and there was no warmth or intimacy behind them.

* * *

"For such an expensive car, why isn't it easier to push?" Grunted Herry, as he pushed the red convertible through the snow with all his might. Theresa was alongside him, also pushing the car down the driveway, puffing with the effort.

"I…" she huffed, "I didn't choose it because it was easy to push through the snow, you know."

"Well, keep it in mind," Herry huffed, face turning as red as the car itself, "for next time." As Theresa went to give the car another shove, her feet slipped in the sleet and she faceplanted onto the driveway.

"Ugh!" She huffed, pulling herself up to sit on the ground, snow sticking to her shirt. "As if today hasn't been bad enough already!" She began to dust herself off, ignoring Herry as he continued to push at the car. "What am I supposed to do?"

"You could help me push this car!" Herry muttered under his breath, but Theresa seemed oblivious to him.

"I mean, first this driveway got all bogged, then Persephone's off in the Underworld, and not to mention Jay and his new girl-" Before Theresa could finish whatever long winded rant remained, a snowball hit her right in the chest, icy and hard.

"Great shot, Neil!" Yelled Odie, bounding across the snowy yard to wherever Neil was hiding. However, Odie didn't make it more than five steps before a snowball lobbed by Herry hit him smack in the face.

"My glasses!"

Herry chuckled, dusting his hands off. "So, you wanna aim for Neil or Odie?" He asked Theresa, grinning. She pushed herself off the ground.

"Neil's just behind the wall, around the corner of the house."

"How?" Herry began to ask as Theresa smiled gently, tapping her forehead.

"Okay," said Herry, "I'll take Odie, and while I do that, you need to-"

"Herry, duck!" She yelled, yanking Herry down by his shoulders as a snowball soared over his head, thrown by either Neil or Odie, both of whom now stood in the open, staring at them.

A glance passed between Herry and Theresa, and without a word they both began scooping the snow furiously, and soon enough the war had begun.

* * *

Jay sat in the toasty cafe, one hand holding the spoon that twirled in his coffee, lost in thought. _Theresa would tell me off for brooding if she was here. _No, Jay told himself. He shook his head, just a little, to try and refresh his mind. She's not here though, and Juliet is.

"So," he began, trying to rid himself of his own thoughts, "what do you want to do after you graduate?" he asked the brunette whom sat opposite him. She looked up from her phone, smiling kindly at him.

"I'm not really sure. I guess it depends on my marks. What about you?" She asked, her sweet melodic voice soothing Jay. _It's not like you were dating anyway, _he told himself. "Erm… I'm not really sure either." He smiled apologetically, and genuinely now. "Maybe something to do with astronomy, or sailing?" He gave a light laugh. "I'm having enough trouble imaging myself surviving these exams, let alone what comes after." She laughed at that too, her pearly white teeth forming a perfect smile as her delicate laugh tinkled. Her hand reached to his under the table, and held it softly, warmly.

"Whatever you do, I'm sure it'll be the right thing." She said as she held his hand.

_Well, I hope you're right, _thought Jay, with a rueful smile.


	6. Privacy

"Not that way, Archie!"

"Ahh, ahh, ahh no!"

"Come on, come on!"

"That's it now, oh yeah!"

Neil walked up the hallway, his ear pressed to the wall, trying to detect the source of the noise. As he reached Archie's door, he heard something that gave him chills to the bone: a series of grunts, gasps and screams of "Agh!".

"Nearly there, AHH AHH!"

Neil leaned violently away from the door upon hearing that. Was that… was that Atlanta's voice? This was gossip too juicy to savour alone. Neil whipped out his PMR, speed dialling the rest of the team. Even as he typed, more grunts echoed from the room.

Herry was first, waltzing in from the kitchen, munching on a muesli bar. It was a rare sight for Herry not to be munching on something these days.

"What's up, Neil? Dye your hair the wrong colour?" Asked Herry. Neil pointed to the door, and in response, a cry of "Ahh, that's it! Come on baby!" echoed through the door.

"Are you for real? Who's in there?" Herry rushed over to the door, pressing his ear to the side.

"What's up, guys? Asked Theresa, now coming out of her room. Neil winked.

"You'll like this." Said Neil, as another gasp of frustration (or joy, Neil supposed) came out from the door.

"What?!" Theresa gasped in a whisper, tip toeing over to the door and shoving Herry aside. "This cannot be happening. They are so not at that stage."

"What's happening?" Asked Odie, emerging from the basement, rubbing his eyes. "This better be good."

"Oh, it is." Assured Herry, chuckling his rolling laugh. "They're gonna get it sooo bad."

"Is that… Archie and Atlanta?" Asked Odie, perplexed. Another grunt echoed from the room.

"Uh, uh, uh, come on!" That was definitely Atlanta's voice. Odie shoved in, now pressing an ear to the door as well.

The group all pressed against the door, breathing quietly, trying not to be heard as they giggled every time another grunt or cry of "Goddammit!" came through the door.

"You know, I always kinda thought you and Jay would be the first to do this, not those two." Commented Herry. Theresa blushed as red as a beetroot, but was saved from answering by Jay, whom had just walked in.

"Hey guys, sorry I took so long, I came as fast as I could… guys?" Jay took in the scene, Theresa blushing bright red, and Neil, Odie and Herry all pressing their ears to the door. Even as Jay took it all in, a cry of "Agghh! Deep breaths, come on!" Then he understood.

"No way. Archie and Atlanta?" He headed over, listening intently. "Now this is too good to be true."

The yelling and grunting and gasping began to reach a climax as they listened, and the team leaned in, pressing hard against the door to hear it all. They squished in, everyone pressing against each other.

"Hey, who touched my butt?" Demanded Neil, his voice spiky. Herry went to elbow him to keep him quiet, but missed and hit the doorknob, pushing it down. The door opened, and the team tumbled through the doorway. First Herry fell, who grabbed Neil, who grabbed Odie, who grabbed Theresa, who grabbed Jay as 5/7 of the team found themselves stacked on top of one another.

They all peered up, expecting to see a very embarrassed Archie and Atlanta in the bed.

Instead, the bed was empty, although unmade. Archie and Atlanta both held wii controllers, and were focussed intently upon the game in front of them: it was Rainbow Road, on Mariokart.

Atlanta turned around. "Guys? Umm… what are you all doing here?"

The team all grinned sheepishly, answering in unison.

"Nothing…"


	7. Thunder

"I hate the rain." Archie complained, pulling his hood up to cover his hair. Atlanta walked beside him, hands in her pockets.

"Why?"

"You get all… wet and stuff." They were walking out of the cinema, still under cover at the moment. Other couples were milling around, making conversation about the movie as they headed out towards the dreary day. Atlanta smiled in spite of herself, given how gingerly Archie was walking.

"So, what did you think of the movie?" She asked.

"That main chick, the one who kept kicking everyone's butts? She was pretty cool." Said Archie, whom was now rubbing his hands together. "But…"

"Yea?" Atlanta stopped now, and they stood at the doors to the cinema.

"She's not as cool as you." Archie smiled, looking Atlanta in the eye.

Atlanta leaned in closer to Archie, on her tippy toes. "Yea, but you're pretty rad too, you know." Archie met her eyes, and they leaned in, hands laced together. Just as Archie shut his eyes, a huge crack of thunder clapped above their heads. Archie's eyes flew open, and leapt into Atlanta's arms, clinging onto her neck.

"Argh!" She grunted, catching him, shocked out of her romantic reverie. "Archie!"

Archie smiled sheepishly. "I kinda don't really like thunder."

"Ya think?" Asked Atlanta, as she gently let him go, and Archie returned to a standing position.

"Everyone has fears!" Archie grumbled, defensively as he crossed his arms- all of his terrified rabbit demeanour was gone now.

"You know what they say about fixing fears!" Atlanta winked, grabbing Archie's hand.

"Huh?" He asked, as she yanked him out into the rain. Archie grabbed at his hood, trying to pull it more tightly over his head as he stumbled behind her, still holding Atlanta's hand.

"You gotta face 'em!" She yelled, as the rain began to drench them both. Another huge clap of thunder shook through Archie's bones, loud enough to be overheard. He grasped Atlanta's now soaked hand as tightly as he could.


	8. Halloween

**This is set after episode 8, See You at the Crossroads. I've always wished that episode could have been drawn together a little more neatly at the end, because it raises so many cute moments. Like, the producers had a great opportunity for fluff AND THEY DIDN'T TAKE IT. Anyway, tell me what you think!**

"Well, that's my halloween done and dusted for this year." Jay's voice came from behind Theresa, as she stood on the rooftop, gazing out across at the quiet night. He came and stood next to her, her green eyes unfocussed as she smiled gently.

"Definitely enough for one night." Theresa agreed, biting her lip. Her nails scratched against the concrete railing, fingers moving minutely.

"You did good today, Theresa. Especially that move with the cake. I couldn't throw it that accurately if I tried." Jay said warmly, chuckling lightly.

"Yea…" Theresa trailed off now, still looking into the distance for some unknown sign. The night was fairly quiet, and only distant cars and a myriad of small animal noises blanketed the air. The wind was delicate, toying with Theresa's hair.

"What's wrong?" Jay asked gently.

Theresa took a moment before she said the words, but when they came they were quiet and clear. "It's my mother's anniversary."

Jay took a moment to digest Theresa's words, nearly asking: "Of what?" before he realised.

"Oh." Jay responded, before adding, "On halloween?"

"Yea. I guess we're a bit of an unlucky family."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up…"

"No, it's fine. I was ten when she died. But I don't think about it too much any more."

"Too painful?" Jay asked.

"No, not painful…" Theresa began, "but you can't live with their ghost forever, I guess."

"I guess not…" Jay said, trying to be helpful. He felt like a bit of a spanner in the conversation. Theresa smiled at him, at his genuine attempts at listening.

"It's okay." She said, still gazing out at the deep black of the night. "No one really knows how to talk about it. You're doing fine."

"Well, that's good to know." Jay said, sighing as he rubbed his hands together in the cool air. "At least I did something right today." Jay leant over the concrete bannister, his hands laced together, wringing.

Theresa turned fully towards Jay now, frustrated. "Jay, you did the best you could today. We're just 7 mortal teenagers and Hecate is the goddess of Witchcraft. I think we did pretty well, considering." She said, a quiet fire in her eyes. "And you have _got _ to lighten up a little!" Theresa added, jabbing Jay in the arm.

"Yea, but Hecate caught you, and I-"

"Jay, she had almost all of us at one point or another. We got those torches in the end. Hecate is back in her lair, and everything's exactly how it should be. So let it go!" Theresa said, exasperatedly at the end.

Jay smiled in spite of Theresa, his shoulders loosing their tense stance. "Maybe you're right."

Theresa smiled too now, leaning forward over the railing to feel the breeze better.

"And you know, you were kind of amazing back there." Jay added, looking at Theresa's long, stretched form as she drew in the night's air.

"Thanks." She said genuinely, leaning back now and stepping back from the railing altogether. "Although it would have been much easier if there _was _a killer surprise in that cake." She winked, nudging Jay as she headed back inside. Jay grinned to himself, before he got up, following Theresa down the stairs and back into the Brownstone.


	9. Black

It was Odie's rule of thumb to elect for the black pieces when playing chess. The logic was that if the rest of the world was going to treat him differently for being black, he might as well use that colour when beating them.

He now stared intently at the chess board, determined to find a chink in the armour. The small, glossy figurines seemed so insubstantial, so silly when he considered how much stress they gave him. He drummed his fingers on the table, thinking again.

"Are you planning on making a move sometime soon?" She asked from across the table, confident and teasing. Her short blonde hair titled to the side with her head, her blue eyes peering quietly at Odie, a half smile tugging at one side of her lips.

Odie had never, _never _been beaten at school chess.

And never by a girl.

Not that he was sexist, or anything. It wasn't that girls were inferior or stupid or whatever. But there was no way Odie could let a girl beat him. Not a girl like this, either: her denim miniskirt and her t-shirt with the periodic table on it, sleeves rolled up to reveal tanned, slender arms: she was by all means a bimbo. Definitely not the sort of person Odie could afford to lose his first chess match to.

Already he'd been in check twice. Each time he'd moved his piece, her bell like voice had pealed, "Check", followed by a light giggle. Who giggled in the middle of a chess match?! Her bangled hand had quietly lifted her pieces, her perfect teeth flashing a million dollar smile.

Well, if nothing else, this sure was going to be a chess match Odie would remember.


	10. Sparring

Her years spent sparring had certainly taught Theresa a lot of things, but there was one lesson that always came back to her, again and again, like a nightmare that plagues your sleep.

You could look your opponents up and down. You could know exactly what training they'd done and how fit they were and what their style was. They could be boy or girl, fat or thin, weak, strong, weedy, tired; your opponent could be anything in the world, but the only time you were sure to win was if you wanted it more.

It was Theresa's one flaw that she tended to forget this simple fact.

* * *

The first day the team had met, Ares had organised them into groups. "In each group, I've put some strong fighters, and some weaker ones. I want you all to learn from each other today." He'd boomed, whistle in hand. Theresa surveyed her group: Jay, Archie, Herry and herself.

Unless Theresa was very much mistaken, she was definitely meant to be one of the weaker ones. She'd decided in that moment that it was Ares' turn to learn her lesson.

Jay had been up first, his blows uniform and boring, always straight to the chest or shoulder. This should be easy, she'd thought. But that first day, when they'd both found themselves puffing and sweating, eyes flashing determinedly at each other, she'd realised that an ability to learn from your errors and a dogged determination was as dangerous as any round house kick Theresa might send his way.

Not that she'd let Jay realise that, of course. A well placed kick coupled with a neat block and an elbow to the rib saw Theresa give a sigh of relief before she helped Jay back up.

_Two to go._

Theresa's spar with Herry was a new ballpark again. For such a big guy, she'd gone in planning nothing but her best shots and the quickest tactics- no chances were going to be taken here. Immediately as they'd began she had been dodging quickly, her mind glued only to his next punch and where she would go. Her focus proved to be no match for the guy: maybe she was too quick or he was too gentle, but his blows always seemed easy enough to dodge and her hits met their mark all too quickly.

_One to go._

Wonky ankle, pasty white kid, loose sandals: Archie was never meant to put up a challenge.

You'd have thought Theresa had learnt her lesson by then.

The first thing about Archie was that he was aggressive. Unlike Herry, whom was calm when he missed a punch, or Jay who didn't seem to put all his force behind his fist, Archie left nothing to chance. Every shot was meant to hit, and to win.

It had only taken two hits before Theresa realised she wasn't going to beat this kid easily. Her dodging that had so easily evaded Herry now occasionally copped a fist, and her combinations that pushed Jay off the edge were simply part of the fight for Archie. The right hook Theresa so prided herself on was a hit to Archie, but nothing he couldn't take.

But even Archie had his weaknesses.

It was as Theresa drew in another tight, desperate breath that she finally realised Archie's one fault. His eyes scanned across her, taking in her heaving chest, the sweat that dripped down her arms and made her hair cling to her face, her feet slower now with fatigue, arms shaking from being held up for so long. He realised it: he was the stronger one. As the thought flashed through his eyes and he went in for the victory, Theresa took advantage of Archie's one weakness: he thought he'd won.

She'd offered to help him up afterwards, but he'd just thrown Theresa a filthy look before getting up on his own, ignoring her outstretched hand and tired smile.

After all, Archie never lost. And never to a girl he'd just met.


	11. 97

"Students, I am sorry to announce that I am rather disappointed with the results of your last essay." The teacher said, glaring at the students through her red rimmed glasses. All students had agreed that this teacher had an uncanny ability to manage to give almost every student the evil eye in one glance across the classroom.

Even now, the class cowered a little. What small whispered conversations there were did not last.

"The class average was 60%." She paused, her black eyes flitting to Odie. "Only one student did as they were asked in the paper, and for that they have been rewarded with a mark of 97%."

She swallowed, taking her time with the announcement. It was rare to get the kids' attention for long, and she planned to use her time to make them sweat.

"That student was Neil."

"Yea, baby!" Neil yelled, arms in the air.

The class gave a collective gasp of surprise, and all eyes turned to the blonde haired boy seated up the back, whom was normally in the process of filing his nails at this stage of class.

Herry, whom was seated next to Odie, leant over to his buddy to whisper in his ear.

"Really?"

* * *

"97, 97, 97, 97!" Neil paraded about as the group cleaned up that night, Neil's tea towel notoriously dry.

"We heard, Neil." Atlanta grumbled, scrubbing rather ferociously at a dry plate.

"Yea, we got the memo." Archie added.

"You sure you've told us enough times?" Asked Jay from the kitchen table. "You might wanna repeat it again, I don't think Zeus heard."

"NINETY-" Neil began, at the top of his lungs.

"Shut up!" Was the communal groan from the heroes.

Neil grinned. This was only the beginning. He would, in all likelihood, never repeat this feat.

So he was going to milk it for all it was worth.

* * *

Theresa rubbed at her eyes, still waking up properly. Mornings after late nights with Persephone were never really much fun. As she ran her fingers through her hair, peering at her reflection, Theresa saw that someone had written on the mirror.

Theresa yawned, trying to clear her vision so she could see. As her eyes focused, a number on the mirror became obvious.

97.

"Neil!" Theresa began, stalking off to his room.

* * *

Herry whistled merrily as he waltzed out to his truck, swinging his keys around his finger. The air was clear, the birds were singing, the breeze was warm: and Neil wasn't even awake yet. Herry grinned to himself as he opened up the garage door.

He froze in the morning light at the sight of his car. Unless Herry needed glasses, someone had spray painted the number 97 onto the bonnet of his truck.

And Herry was pretty sure he knew who.

* * *

The night was cool as Jay and Odie gathered around the telescope, the old contraption creaking and squeaking as Jay's practiced hands turned the various knobs and he tried to orient it before taking a peek.

"So, you reckon there's gonna be a meteor shower tonight, huh?" Jay asked Odie, whom was peering into the inky sky.

"Yea, it was forecast. Should be a good one." Odie responded, hands in his pockets.

"Well, hey, maybe it's a good omen for our fight against Cronus." Jay put in, wiping the telescope's long shaft as he squinted up into the sky. "Didn't you say you wanted to look at something?" He asked.

"Oh, right. Yea, I wouldn't mind a glance at Venus." Odie said casually, heading over to the telescope. He put his eye to the lens, hands on the various dials.

"Jay, it's a bit blurry…"

"I cleaned it last time I looked."

"I think you left the cap on." Odie said, perplexed. Jay peered around the end of the telescope.

"No, there's no lens cap on here…"

"Well I can't see anything."

"Ugh!" Jay huffed suddenly.

"What happened?" Asked Odie, taking his eye away from the lens. "Are you okay, Jay?"

Jay was furiously scrubbing at the telescope lens with his rag.

"Jay?" Odie enquired.

"Someone's written something on here in permanent marker." Said Jay, scrubbing furiously. Odie leant around for a closer look.

"Oh…" He began. "Jay, I think it says 97."

They both stood in angered silence for a moment, their eyebrows in the air. And then Jay spoke angrily.

"Neil."

* * *

Atlanta was running along the path, arms swinging as she jogged easily along the trail, her headphones playing her favourite song. _Ahh, no Neil and his 97's here…_ Thought Atlanta happily, smiling to herself. _Just me and my music._ She picked it up a little, breathing in carefully as she did so.

Her song began to end, and a crackle of static came through.  
"Huh…" Atlanta started. None of her songs started like this.

As she ran through the woods, a familiar voice found itself propelled into her ears, saying the same words over and over again.

_"97 97 97 97 97…"_

It was all Atlanta could do to not simply throw the ipod into the lake altogether.

* * *

Archie donned his usual blue jacket, zipping it up happily. It had been almost a week since the whole "97" affair -that was what the team had termed the traumatic event- and Archie was feeling rather pleased to have avoided the worst of Neil's ridiculing. From Odie finding his locker code changed to 97 (only after he interrogated Neil) to Herry finding all his books to have 97 written on every page to Theresa having every speed on the speedometer of her car erased except for 97, the team had been well and truly sick of Neil by the end of the week.

Archie went to leave his room, but as he passed his mirror something on the back of his jacket caught his eye. Archie took a few steps back, staring furtively into the mirror at the gold stitching pattern on the back of his jumper. The sewing job was perhaps a little dodgy, but it was painfully clear to Archie that someone had clumsily sewn the number "97" onto the back of his jumper in gold stitching.

And that someone was likely named Neil.


	12. Sorry

Just a little piece exploring what happens when members of the canon couples date someone else. I'm sorry I haven't been updating as much, school has been crazy. As always, FEEDBACK. PLEASE. And prompts would be A+ because my brain is kind of low on inspiration. Maybe I'd be more inspired if I actually had a love life... Kidding, I actually love being single. Also, HoneyGoddess57 I love you, and thanks for all the reviews ^-^

* * *

"Theresa, can you stay back and help me clean up?" Jay's voice sliced through Theresa's reverie of thought, calling calmly from behind her. Theresa felt her cheeks grow hot, but forced herself to turn head back towards the gym.

"Sure, Jay." She kept her eyes downcast, failing to meet his eager glance as she passed him and began picking up cones. Jay seemed to consider following her for a moment, but instead kept on stacking Herry's weights. The empty gym rang out with the sound of Theresa's lithe footsteps as she went from each corner, and of the "pat, pat" of each weight Jay stacked. Every now and again, Theresa heard Jay's quiet breathing from across the auditorium.

She didn't really want to talk.

Jay drew in a deep breath as he walked over to where Theresa stood piling the cones, her back facing towards him, almost deliberately away. He figured he'd earned it.

Jay cleared his throat to speak, but Theresa beat him to it, turning around to face him now.

"What do you want, Jay?" Her eyes were colder than usual, tired almost. Her hair was limp and her arms crossed.

"I just wanted explain me and Juliet. Honestly, it wasn't anything big. I just wanted to spend time with someone outside our little world, and she was… I dunno, easy to be with. I don't want this to be a problem for the team."

"It's okay, really." Theresa's eyes were still a little dead, her face impassive as they stood in the empty gym. Theresa looked pointedly off to the side, refusing to meet Jay's steady gaze.

"Theresa, if you're going to make this-"

"Jay, please. We'll always be here for you, 100%. You know it." She added, smiling a little now. The smile didn't quite reach her eyes, but at least Theresa was looking at Jay now.

Jay's next words were heartfelt. "Thanks, Theresa." She smiled gently in response, her arms falling out of their crossed position.

"I have to go, though. Class and all."

"Oh, sure." Jay said, stepping out of Theresa's way so she could leave. Her long red hair swished behind her as she walked, her bag hanging off her shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Jay pushed the words out of his mouth at her retreating figure, realising he couldn't leave them unsaid.

Theresa kept walking.

Perhaps she didn't hear Jay.

* * *

"Arch… I'm sorry."

Archie's back was still turned as he worked at the punching bag, his kicks and punches as fast and fierce as they'd ever been. He huffed and puffed, his feet bouncing off the ground repetitively as he went in, again and again.

"Arch…" Atlanta tried again. She sighed: she knew Archie would make this difficult. It was his nature.

"I'm busy, can't you see that?" Archie finally responded, angrily. He still hadn't turned around to meet Atlanta.

"You're always busy when I need to talk to you now."

The only sound that came from Archie was the rhythmic _punch, slap_ that came from Archie's meticulous hits of the punching bag. Each time the bag gave a little "oof", its soft material crunching under the impact. Archie gave a tiny huff of breath with each exertion.

"Archie, come on. You've gotta hear me out."

"I don't _have_ to do anything."

_Punch, kick. _

"We weren't even dating, Archie!"

More punches. More kicks.

"This isn't fair on me, and you know it."

The punches stopped.

"Not fair… not fair on you?!" He began, turning around. "You're hardly in a position to complain here!"

Atlanta crossed her arms, and looked Archie straight in the face.

"I'm not just gonna sit here and wait for you to work up the courage to ask me out. I'm allowed to date other guys."

Archie floundered. His first response was to turn back to the punching bag, but halfway through he decided otherwise and turned back to face Atlanta.

"Work up the courage to ask _you_ out? Oh, right, like I wanted to."

Atlanta bit her lip. "You didn't mean that."

"Maybe I did." Archie responded defiantly. "Like you'd know."

"Archie, this is getting stupid. I came here to apologise, not to be attacked."

"Well, maybe I'm not ready to hear it. Maybe I don't want your apologies."

"You're certainly acting like it." Atlanta spat, shaking her head. "I'm going."

"And take your apologies with you!" Yelled Archie after her, as Atlanta walked back up the stairs.

She sighed to herself as her feet began to climb the stairs. Were all guys this difficult?

But Atlanta already knew the answer to that question: only guys that really, really loved you.


	13. Morning

Look! I'm being a cool fanfiction writer and trying to update plenty! I mean, TWO new chapters in a day... that's, like, almost regular! Anyway, this piece is one morning told chronologically through seven pairs of eyes. Enjoy, and review :)

* * *

**_4am_**

Theresa sat in the kitchen, the room dimly illuminated by the early dawn light, still waiting for the sun to rise. Her fingers were wrapped around her cup of double shot coffee, brewed extra strong to keep her from having to face the nightmare again. The heat of the mug was a welcome burn, a reminder that she was safely in reality now.

Theresa gave another yawn, stretching her lips and closing her eyes. It was 4:30 in the morning and already she felt exhausted, like she simply wanted to curl up and sleep.

It was going to be one of those days.

**_5am_**

Archie's eyes opened as his breath slid out of him, and he woke the same way he did every morning: calm, and early. The clock read 5am- not that Archie needed it. He couldn't sleep in past 5 if he tried. Most days it was a useful habit, but sometimes -like now, for instance- Archie's all-too-perfect body clock got in the way. Waking up at 5am when you only got home from chasing various immortal Gods at 3am just didn't have the same "It's morning, let's go and be active!" vibe as it did when you actually got more than 3 hours of sleep.

But, Archie was Archie, and he never missed a morning.

Archie's head was pounding as he pulled his clothes on, but already his bed was cold and he knew he'd never get back to sleep. If there was one thing Archie prided himself on, it was that he was rather good at functioning on low sleep.

Not that he'd mind a break, of course.

**_6am_**

Jay was yawning, stretching his arms out wide as he strolled into the familiar kitchen, spying Theresa's long red hair draped over the back of the chair.

"You're up early."

Theresa turned, and smiled upon seeing Jay. "Yea. Couldn't sleep."

"Late nights aren't your thing, huh?" Jay asked, fetching a muesli bar from the cupboard, his back cracking as he bent over.

"Not really…" Theresa was still fairly dazed, seeming to be in another world. Her hands clutched onto the cold, empty mug that had been filled hours ago.

"Yea, I'm feeling a bit knocked around after last night too." Jay offered, stretching and cracking his back.

"Fair enough." Theresa's response carried none of her usual verve, flat and monotonous in the early hours. Her expression remained one of stone.

Jay paused for a moment, peering quietly at Theresa. "Are you alright?"

Theresa gazed honestly at Jay. "I'm okay. Just tired."

"Well, we've got a full day of training ahead of us, you know."

"I know."

Jay paused awkwardly, not sure what to say now. Theresa was still staring off into the distance, but he wasn't really sure he could help her.

"Well, if you need me, I'm here to talk." He said, trying to meet her eyes. He failed. "But for now, I'm off to see Hera for a morning class."

"Sounds good." Theresa smiled, but it seemed more like she was stretching her lips rather than wanting to express any form of happiness. "See you, Jay."

Jay paused at the door, before deciding it was best to head off. "See you, Theresa."

**_7am_**

Odie's alarm buzzed, screaming into his unconscious mind as the dream he'd been having turned to a wisp of air, blown away by his alarm.

"Ughhhh…" Odie grumbled, squinting at the fuzzy "7" displayed on the alarm. "Just another half hour…" He reached over, groggily setting the alarm for 7:30. Anything to get more sleep. His vision was still fuzzy with sleep, and his fingers fumbled stupidly at the buttons as Odie yawned. Finally, the alarm was set, and Odie threw his head back into the pillows and the deep recess of sleep.

**_8am_**

Atlanta's tired feet carried her down the stairs and into the kitchen, still waking up. She rubbed her eyes as she entered the kitchen, spying Odie and Jay sitting at the kitchen table.

"Mor-morning" Atlanta yawned, as she walked over to the coffee machine.

"You're up late." Odie commented, already sitting with his laptop open. "Late night giant-hunting isn't your thing?"

"Very funny." Atlanta answered, boiling the kettle. She rubbed her eyes, yawning. "Ya know, Jay, maybe we could take a night off…?" Atlanta hinted tiredly, eyes staring listlessly at the bubbling kettle. Jay rolled his eyes, ignoring Atlanta's jibe.

"Aren't you normally sprinting around at this time in the morning?" Odie asked, typing away happily at his keypad.

"Anyone would be tired if they got home at 3am and woke up at 8. I gotta sleep."

"At least you're awake." Jay finally responded, sounding frustrated. "Herry and Neil are still sound asleep, and we're meant to be training soon."

Atlanta grinned. "You guys tried to wake Herry up yet? That guy sleeps like a log."

"We tried. But he's sound asleep."

"Duh." Said Atlanta, sitting down with her coffee. "And I take it you guys aren't game to interrupt Neil's beauty sleep."

Odie and Jay shared a look before Odie spoke up.

"Atlanta, do we look crazy to you?"

**_9am_**

_THUMP. _

_THUMP._

"Herry! HERRY! Get up!"

The voices were distant, as if they were in a dream.

"Go away…" Herry mumbled, swatting at the air. His eyes drifted shut again.

_THUMP._

_CRASH._

"Herry!"

Herry rolled over.

"Whaaaaat?" He asked, almost too tired to keep his mouth open.

"Training soon! Get up!"

Herry scrunched his eyes, then forced them open.

"Jay, is that you?"

"No, it's Archie. I'm trying to save your butt. Jay's having one of his days."

Archie's words sent an electric current through Herry. He threw off his blanket, shoving himself upright- too fast. The blood rushed to Herry's head and the room disappeared in a swaying dream. Unperturbed, Herry stumbled blindly across the room to his clothes, picking up whatever item his hands touched.

"Okay, tell Jay I'm coming!" Herry yelled at the door as he put his shirt on backwards.

The last thing Herry wanted was to be on the receiving end of Jay's temper.

**_10am_**

Neil strolled out of the bathroom, his hair freshly blow-dried now, and feeling very warm and fuzzy for it. His skin was moisturised and fresh, his eyes had no bags under them (for once- the whole "fighting an immortal God" thing tended to make beauty sleep a rarity) and his teeth were sparkling clean. People might mock Neil for his grooming habits, but they sure made him feel on top of the world.

Well, until Neil had to face training with a cranky Jay.

"Neil! What took you so long?" Jay harassed Neil as he arrived late to training- as usual.

Neil couldn't resist. "Well, I had to shower, and blow dry my hair, and moisturise, and today was exfoliation day…" Neil began, watching Jay try to hide his complete and utter frustration. Man, Neil wasn't the only one who needed a beauty sleep around here.

"Neil…" Jay began, obviously fuming, "Go over there. Now. Train."

Neil hurriedly skittered over to where Jay pointed, which was conveniently next to Theresa. If anyone could help out right now, it was her. As Jay turned to talk to Herry and Archie, Neil leaned over and whispered in Theresa's ear.

"What happened to Jay today, huh?"

"I know, I hate it when he's like this." Theresa agreed, her arms crossed.

"Can't you, like, bewitch him or something?"

"How powerful do you think I am?!" Theresa hissed. "Cronus couldn't stop him at this rate!"

"Can't we just unleash him onto Cronus then?" Neil suggested. It seemed a logical solution.

"Neil!" Jay barked, turning back to them. "Get to work! You too Theresa!"

Theresa sighed, and got down to start with some sit ups. "Cronus wouldn't stand a chance. It wouldn't be fair."

Neil couldn't help but agree.


	14. Spring

This is intended as a sequel to Winter, and maybe one day I'll actually put it in order! Anyway, enjoy :)

* * *

Archie's practised fingers were lacing up his runners, pulling the knots tight as always. Mornings were always Archie's favourite part of the day, even if he always felt a bit tired at first. The kitchen was empty for once, and Archie loved the awkward eeriness of seeing the usually-bustling area so devoid of people. As he stood up Archie heard soft, lithe footsteps padding down the stairs very quickly. He turned around, only to feel his heart quicken a little at the sight of Atlanta's shiny red hair.

Atlanta looked as if she'd thrown her outfit on, and her runners were still unlaced as she stumbled into the kitchen.

"Atlanta?" Archie asked, standing awkwardly in the kitchen. "I didn't know you were one for early mornings…"

Atlanta, still flustered, turned to face Archie.

"Ahh, well, I dunno… I guess it's the first morning of spring. Too good to miss." She answered, sounding preoccupied.

"Yea, yea it's always nice when it gets a bit warmer." Archie answered, cursing himself for the butterflies in his stomach. _You should know better by now,_ Archie told himself.

"So you're up for your morning run, huh?" Atlanta asked, her eyes awkwardly avoiding Archie's.

"Uh, as always. Never missed a morning."

"Yea, I know…" Atlanta began, shyly wringing her hands. "So, is there space for two on your run?" She asked, smiling at Archie apologetically.

Archie stammered under her melting eyes. "Uh, o-of course." _There's always space for you, Atlanta._

"Well, what are you waiting for? Or are you afraid of being beaten by a girl?" Teased Atlanta, and for a moment Archie caught a glimpse of the daring in Atlanta's eye that he'd so missed. It was gone in a second, as Atlanta turned and sprinted towards the door, already ahead of Archie.

"Hey, wait!" Archie yelled, grabbing his PMR. "You can't just run off on me! Your shoelaces aren't even done up!"

"They're fine, and I just did!" Archie heard Atlanta yell from down the street. Archie smiled to himself as he began to pelt down the familiar street, Atlanta's red hair bobbing ahead of him.

Like old times.

* * *

Neil stood outside the cafe with Theresa, wringing his hands nervously, his eyes darting about and taking in every passer-by in the street. In contrast Theresa was calm, her weight shifted to one leg.

"You're really worried, huh?" She asked kindly, looking up at Neil.

"Great mind reading, Theresa." Neil answered, his eyes still searching everyone that passed them.

"I don't need to be psychic to see how nervous you are." Theresa responded. She reached across and wrapped her hand around Neil's, giving it a squeeze. "Don't worry so much. I'm sure it's the right thing."

Neil pulled out his mirror, obsessively checking his reflection.

"Neil?" She nudged him. "Come on, put the mirror away. You look fine."

"Are you sure?" His voice was smaller, higher. Theresa smiled serenely.

"You look great. _I'd_ date you."

"Yea, well, you might have to, after this."

"Neil, you look great. You're an awesome guy. How can any guy in his right mind resist?"

Neil sighed, folding his mirror away.

"Thanks for coming with me on this, Theresa."

Neil's phone vibrated with a message.

_I'm here, where are you?_

"Theresa, Theresa he's here!"

"Keep calm, then!" She responded, whispering. "Where is he?"

The pair scanned the vicinity outside the cafe, both trying (and failing to) look discrete.

"Neil…" Theresa asked after a moment. "Is that him?"

She pointed to a long, tall guy in his early 20's, with long brown hair pulled back into a low bun and tight skinny jeans, leaning against the glass wall of the cafe, texting.

"Neil?"

Neil gulped. "That looks like him."

"Well, come on then!" Theresa grabbed Neil's arm, pulling him along to see the guy.

"Umm, hey." Neil choked out, Theresa at his side. The man looked up from his phone, his brown eyes warm.

"Are you Neil?" He asked, perplexed, as he peered at Theresa whom was standing at Neil's side. She smiled kindly at the guy.

"Yea! You're Jason, then?"

The guy nodded, surveying them.

"Oh, this is Theresa, she came along as moral support." Neil said, his charisma ballooning by the minute.

"Yea, but I'll be off now." Theresa said, waving her car keys. "I've gotta go sailing with a friend this afternoon. Have fun Neil!" She said, winking at her friend.

Neil smiled gratefully before replying. "Okay. See you later, Theresa." He turned back to Jason, whom was rubbing his hands together now.

"So, you wanna head in?" Jason asked, gesturing towards the cafe with a shy smile.

"Sounds great to me."

A warm gust of spring air chased Neil as he entered the cafe, and a small smile touched his lips.

* * *

The afternoon sun tickled Herry and Odie's backs as they sat on the rooftop, pens scratching away at their homework.

"Odie..?" Herry began, leaning away from his paper.

"Yea?"

"I think I got this one."

Odie peered over at the maths question Herry pointed at, his glasses catching the light.

"Well, you've done this right, and that's good there, and what have you done there?" Odie asked, pointing at one stage of the question.

"Um… just substituted x for 5. Because it says here that it's a proof, not to find the answer."

Odie scratched his head.

"What's up, buddy? Have I done something wrong?" Asked Herry, worried now. Dammit, he thought he was so close with this one.

"No, not wrong. It's just that I hadn't thought of that."

"Really?" Herry couldn't help but ask, rubbing his chin.

"Yup." Odie grinned at Herry. "You know, I reckon you'll do alright in maths this year, Herry."

"You really think so?"

"Well, with a tutor like me, how can you not? We'll get those marks right up."

They both turned back to their schoolwork now, resuming their work. After a few minutes of work in silence, Herry quietly spoke up.

"It really is a great spring day, isn't it?"

* * *

The crisp, salty sea air rushed into Jay's lungs as he stood at the helm, gazing happily across the sparkling blue water. As far as first days of spring went, today was pretty much perfect. Seized by a sudden urge, Jay grinned recklessly as he spun the wheel violently to the left, the boat keeling wildly -but Jay was in control. Mostly.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Theresa demanded as she flew across the side of the boat, still clutching her book.

"Sorry, big wave." Jay yelled behind him, chuckling to himself.

"Oh sure. Like the last one, I suppose." She responded grumpily, flicking through the book as she tried to find where she was up to. "I only came with you if you promised I could catch up on school reading."

"It's not my fault if a big wave comes." Jay teased.

"You do know I can read your mind, right?" Theresa asked, still staring intently at her book, preoccupied with her book which was covered in droplets of water.

Jay smiled to himself. _Oh, if only you could._


	15. Music

A shorter piece this time :) Massive massive massive thanks to my wonderful reviewers, HoneyGoddess57 and historiangirl! Love you guys!

* * *

"Herry, can you put the music down?!" Demanded Atlanta, whom was unhappily squished in the back seat between Archie and Neil.

"What?" Yelled Herry over the din of the music, arms clenched around the steering wheel. "Speak up, the music's too loud!"

Atlanta face palmed. "Never mind…"

"Well, we're nearly there anyway." Said Archie, trying to cheer her up.

"Oh, yay." Atlanta didn't seem to be in much of a party mood today.

"Oh, cheer up!" Neil piped up, adoring his newly filed nails. "We're getting into the mood."

Atlanta raised her eyebrows. "Next time you guys are planning on driving to parties, count me out."

She wound the window down, sticking her head out to appreciate the gushing wind on her face. Ugh, living with so many guys definitely had it's disadvantages.

* * *

"Sorry I'm so late!" Theresa gushed, sprinting into the lounge room, dressed for the party, her eyes accentuated by a touch of eyeliner. "Miss Persephone just kept talking, and I didn't want to ask to leave because you know how she gets when she's angry, and I wasn't keen on getting the whole storm cloud thing happening again, and… Jay?" Theresa trailed off, peering at her silent friend.

"Do you, uh, normally wear that?"

Theresa laughed. Guys happened to be the blindest of the sexes, that much was for sure. And the most awkward. "No. You don't get many chances to dress up when fighting an immortal god every other day."

"No, I guess not." Said Jay, running his hand through his hair.

"Well, you certainly dressed up." Theresa said jokingly, eyeing off that awful purple and yellow sweater. "You could've left the jumper at home…"

Jay put his hand to his chest, wounded. "It's my lucky jumper!"

Theresa smiled grimly. "Well, I guess we better get going, unless we want to miss the whole thing."


	16. Poetry

The words were black, inked down the page in their perfect stanzas and their minute phrases.

"You… you want me to read this?" Archie asked, eyes still scanning across the paper. "You're not mad or anything? Shouldn't I be in trouble?" The teacher sat at the desk, his fingers knitted calmly together and a twinkle in his brown eyes.

"Archie, if I kept back every disruptive kid, I'd never go home. You're different though- you've got a gift for this stuff."

Archie blushed very minutely, trying to ignore his burning ears. "I read a bit, I guess."

The teacher smiled now. Oh, how long he had been waiting to get this kid to open up a bit.

"Who is your favourite poet?" He asked. He was interested to see what the kid said.

"Well, umm…" Archie scratched his neck awkwardly. "I, uh, I don't mind Auden. Or- or John Betjeman. He's kinda cool."

"Archie, you could be really good. Tell me you'll keep going with this."

Archie smiled awkwardly, almost as if he was trying not to acknowledge the teacher's words.

"Uh, yea. Thanks. But I gotta go."

The teacher nodded, gave him a farewell wave as Archie walked off awkwardly, like his legs weren't quite sure how to work after standing there. The chat had been difficult, as the teacher had predicted. But the poems were gone, folded neatly in Archie's hand.


	17. Home

Atlanta could never really explain why she loved running.

As a kid, she'd been unstoppable. Running from dawn till dusk, at which point her tiredness would make her cranky and illogical, as children were. Her little legs would totter around the house, the rhythmic "thump thump" of her tiny feet pattering the familiar corridors over and over again as her arms would swing with her plump, cute body.

As her legs grew longer, so did her runs. From feet pounding the well worn hallways of her home to long, teenage legs striding across streets of her neighbourhood, running was something instinctual to Atlanta. It was an escape, for sure: she need only lace up her shoes and she was free from every person and worry that plagued her. Not that she didn't require coaxing to make her run, but rather the coaxing was always worth it. Some days she had to push herself out the door but she always went eventually. Often it was her parents or brother whom made her go, when Atlanta was being irritable again. _Go for a run already, Atlanta._ They'd said all too frequently. _We're sick of you being so stressed. Just run it out._ Grumbling and groaning, Atlanta always did seem to find herself walking out the door with joggers on.

Atlanta didn't know what drew her to the sport. Sometimes it was just fitness, to keep in shape for the hockey season or the lacrosse season, or whatever other sport had taken her fancy at the time. Sometimes it was for stress, to beat out the quiet soldiers that pricked at the edges of her mind when tests drew near. Sometimes it was simply because she _should_\- the guilt of not running was too much otherwise.

Going for a run had been the first thing Atlanta did when she moved in to the Brownstone. It wasn't home until she'd been for her quiet jog and sussed out all the different routes and streets. It wasn't _her room_ until she'd tossed her joggers and sweaty socks into a corner, or returned to the front door, puffing and sweating.


	18. Bandaid

"Odie, have you used all the bandaids again?!" Herry yelled as he pawed through the team's small medical kit, searching desperately for a bandaid. He was still rifling through when Odie wandered in, rubbing his eyes.

"Me? No way."

"Well, you're always using them. Like after every training session."

"It's not my fault I keep getting hit at training." Odie responded, sounding wounded. "It's not like I'd choose to."

Herry softened. "Sorry, buddy. It must suck sometimes, hey."

"Sure does." Odie agreed, peering at the ground. Herry stood there awkwardly, rubbing his hands together, eyes darting around the room.

"Soo…. Wanna play some video games?" Offered Herry, grinning meekly.

Odie perked up a bit. "I downloaded a new one last night. Due to be released in four months." He said, already his eyes a little more lit up.

"Sounds great to me." Herry said, as the pair set off down the hall. "You are gonna get whipped."

"Oh, no way. I am definitely the king in this area."

"We'll see about that." Herry chuckled, cracking his knuckles.

Odie smiled to himself. Herry was his best friend.

And this was the sort of bandaid Odie really needed today.


	19. A Gust of Wind

For some reason, I really like this style of drabble at the moment. Hope you guys do too :) As always, I love reviews (even critical ones) and I love to know that you guys are reading my stuff- it means the world to me!

Also, I would LOVE prompts or requests. If you want certain fluff, or what the team is like at training, or a piece about a character's secret interest, or more OCs- your word is my command ;) Prompts would be rad too!

* * *

Studying out in the sun had been Herry's idea, but as far as Neil was concerned it meant he could waste a few minutes moving his stuff outdoors instead of studying, and that sounded like a top notch idea to Neil.

The sun glanced off cars and rooftops as they sat under the umbrella on the roof top, Herry biting his lip in frustration as Odie tried to explain the maths to him. As Odie restarted ever-so-calmly once again with Herry, Neil was putting the finishing touches on his structure. A precarious tower of rulers, pencils, glue sticks and erasers balanced beautifully atop the table. Neil's hands barely trembled as he placed the ruler on top, trying to get it to balance like a see saw. His lips were mashed together and his eyes squinted down the minute ruler.

"Come on, come on now…" Neil enticed the ruler, as he let it go. It wobbled, then held still. The cheer was rising in Neil's throat as a huge gust of wind washed over the rooftop, rubbers and pencils flying everywhere.

"Now that's just not fair!" Neil cried, trying to catch the pieces of his tower.

"Serves you right for not studying." Herry murmured blackly, flicking Neil's ruler off his page before turning back to Odie. "Can you start with that again Odie?"

* * *

Atlanta soared in front of Archie, nearly clipping his front wheel as she breathed in the gush of adrenaline and the road rushed past her.

"Can't catch me!" She teased behind her, her blood pumping with excitement.

"Watch me!" Archie yelled, his body weight flowing side to side as he tried to navigate himself around Atlanta. Not that she was keen on letting him in. His skateboard flew across the cement, diving down gutters and leaping up the roads, devouring the surface beneath it as the air caused Archie's shirt to flap crazily. He grinned.

This was how they worked best.

Archie managed to pull himself level with Atlanta as they hooned along the concrete, the grass of the park a green blur to their right. He caught a glimpse of her mischievous grin and that flash of daring in her eye as she leant forward, obviously planning something. Archie shifted his foot on the board for better stability. He knew Atlanta a little too well to see her as anything other than a threat.

As Atlanta began to shift her weight ever so fluidly and rose a little into the air, a huge gust of wind tore across the street, a wall of air slamming into them. Atlanta's perfect plan crumbled as her feet left the skateboard and her lithe, athletic form was blown into Archie.

"Aaaarrrcchhiiieeee!" She yelled, her elbow going straight to Archie's stomach and knocking any remaining wind out of him.

The pair landed in an oddly comfortable tangle on the grass of the park, their limbs in a warm contact- Archie's skin was like liquid on Atlanta's. Her back lay across his chest, their arms and legs scattered variously across each other. Archie went to speak, try to eliminate the awkwardness.

"Ah, well this is, er…."

Atlanta elbowed him in the stomach again as she turned over to face him.

"Let's not ruin this moment too." Her eyes still had that glint of daring in them as they met Archie's, and somewhere between their lips locking and their hands clinging to each other's skin, his awkward demeanour vanished like the gust of wind that brought them together.

* * *

"Thanks for teaming up with me on this, Herry." Theresa gushed as they walked to home in the dusky light, rays of orange and pink and red sun stretching across the darkening sky. Both had their arms laden with party supplies, the strings of bags carrying everything from balloons to banners cutting into their arms. Herry also carried a huge stack of boxes, not bothering to try and see what was in front of him. The night as was warm and gentle, and Theresa felt at one with the universe for once.

"Nah, no problem." Herry said easily, lumbering along with his pile. "I reckon we need more fun stuff in the dorm. Jay's always so serious."

Theresa sighed happily to herself. "Even _he_ can't be serious with all these decorations and bon bons. Plus, Odie's sure to appreciate a bit of birthday celebration!"

"Yea, he's been a bit down lately." Herry offered, looking thoughtfully at the box he carried.

"I'm sure this will pick him right up." Theresa's bubbliness was as infectious as her smile.

A gust of wind, sharp as a lion, shoved into the pair suddenly. It slammed into them, wrenching Theresa and Herry's boxes and bags out of their grip as went flying across the footpath. Herry stretched out as he tried to cling onto the boxes he carried and Theresa stumbled a few steps, her hair flying across her face. It was as if the wind carried a vision: as the gust slipped across her skin the street disappeared and a horrifyingly familiar sense of dread shot itself into Theresa's veins. Her smile was lost in a moment as she was engulfed by her vision.

Herry had picked up his boxes by the time he turned around to see Theresa. Her expression was black and her eyes pierced Herry, and she spoke quickly.

"Herry, we have to get back to the school." Her voice was flat, resolute.

"But what about all this stuff?" Herry asked, somewhat gloomy at the prospect of losing all his new purchases.

"We'll have to come back for it." Theresa sighed, beginning to run to her car now. Herry followed. "I just had a vision, and I think something's happened to Jay."

Herry didn't need to ask any more as he now picked up his pace to match Theresa's.

_Just once,_ thought Theresa angrily, _just once I'd like to enjoy a moment without it being cut short._

* * *

Jay had been observing the stars when the gust of wind came through. It had been an unnatural gust, knocking his telescope over as Jay had been zooming in. Jay had dived after it, and was about to pick it up when a certain voice came from behind him.

"Jay, don't bother. You'll have to do that later." It was that eerily royal voice, smooth as honey but slick with venom. Jay would know it anywhere.

He reached to his pocket, and realised a second later that he'd left his sword back at training. _Stupid, stupid._ Jay told himself as he turned to face the man clad in black, his red irises leering down at Jay.

"How did you find us?" Jay demanded, backing away slowly. Already he felt the edge of the rooftop at his back, his hands feeling for the edge behind him, betraying his fear.

"Oh, I have my ways." Cronus said, giving his trademark side leer. "Not that-"

A pair of nun chucks slammed into Cronus's head, clacking around his skull and cutting Cronus's words short. Cronus's hand flew to his head, rubbing where it had been hit. Behind him, Theresa and Herry raced onto the roof top.

Jay felt a breath of anxiety slide out of him, his tense, taut stance loosen just a little.

Not that he let his team mates see. Jay was a leader, after all.


	20. Stars

Jay was always apprehensive the first time he took lifts in a car with girls, and Theresa had been no different.

Jay remembered how he'd mentioned his frustration at missing the meteor shower because the city lights blurred it. He remembered how she'd offered to take him out that night, the way her keys swung around her finger and her perfect smile tugged at one side of her face, the way her green eyes had that glint of excitement in them.

Jay remembered thinking that they'd only met two days ago, and already something was different.

For all his fears about her driving, Jay felt at peace that night as the black road slipped under them in a blur, chasing the white road lines along the highway. The wind caressed his face, his hair flickering around his head as the city slid further behind them. Theresa's hand were calm on the wheel, her eyes lazily flickering up the road, her easy presence intoxicating.

They sat on in the grassy paddock, cross-legged and staring into the eternal sky. The stars blanketed their world as they never could in the city, Jay's finger pointing out the various constellations.

There was nothing romantic about the night: no hand holding, no "make a wish on the star", no cuddling. There was Theresa's easy, bell-like laughter filling up the empty night, her eager smile as the meteor shower began, the light and simple conversation about the whole "heroes to save the world" thing that neither of them had quite gotten their heads around.

The night had ended as easily as it started, when they got out of the car back at the Brownstone.

"Thanks for taking me."

A flash of a smile as she locked her car.

"No problem."

There wasn't a sense of it being unfinished: no awkward tension, no missed opportunity for a kiss. Just a sense that maybe things could be right in the world when she was around.

And that was enough.


	21. Breakfast

Breakfast at the Brownstone was never a quiet affair.

Today was no different.

* * *

A glob of porridge made a splat on the wall, right next to Neil's head as he walked in.

Lucky misses were commonplace around here.

"Wanna say that again, Herry?" Atlanta goaded, her spoon already loaded with the next spoonful of porridge. "Go on, I dare you. See if you can dodge this one too."

Atlanta's stood in her hunter's stance at the far end of the kitchen, her bowl of porridge cupped by her elbow and a look of malice on her face. Herry was sitting at the kitchen bench with a large bowl of cereal in front of him, having just ducked away from Atlanta's first shot.

"Dude, I just meant that girls can't bench press as much as guys. Chill, man." Herry begged, his hands held up in the air. Herry turned to Neil for support. "Women, huh? Must be her period or something."

Atlanta's look of malice turned to one of frustration and pure loathing.

"Period? Period?! That's it!" Another glob of porridge flew across the room, and Herry only just dodged it this time.

If only Jay had been as lucky: it hit him square in the chest, and Jay took a few moments before he lifted his hand and wiped it off his shirt.

"Atlanta, what's going on?" Jay asked somewhat angrily, still wiping at his shirt.

Atlanta turned to glare at Jay, opening her mouth ready to let fly a string of angry words.

Jay jumped in quickly- "Okay, okay. I'm going now…" He began to back out of the room, before turning and running altogether once he was past the doorway. A glint of success flashed across Atlanta's face before she turned back to Herry.

"Now, did you have any more to say?" Atlanta asked, loading up another spoonful and simultaneously eyeing off Herry and Neil. "And don't you start!" She spat at Neil, as Neil looked like he might butt in.

"I'm not saying ANYTHING more around here." Herry responded quickly, jumping off his stool and dropping his half-eaten breakfast in the sink. Atlanta looked like she might let fly another glob, but luckily she seemed to restrain herself at the last minute.

"Good. You should respect us girls around here." Herry quickly hurried out the door too, Neil following in close pursuit now. As they headed out, they bumped into Athena, whom was carrying a huge pile of washing. Herry pulled her aside insistently.

"Athena?" He asked, looking at her desperately.

"What is it, Herry?" Athena asked kindly, her eyes darting to Atlanta's still-tense form in the kitchen. "Something up with you kids?"

Herry gulped, then spoke. "I think Atlanta's, like, on her period or something… can you make her be nice to us again?" Herry asked desperately, a look of need in his eyes. Athena chuckled.

"Herry, if I had to live with so many teenage boys, I'd probably feel a bit angry too. Have you considered what it's like for a girl surrounded by men? You're not the cleanest…"

Neil responded, wounded. "Hey, I'm neat!"

Athena's eyes darted threateningly to Neil before she looked back at Herry.

"You're not who I'm talking about, Neil." Athena said warningly.

"Are you guys talking about me?!" Atlanta demanded from the kitchen, sitting down now at least.

"Of course not!" Athena responded easily, before looking straight back at Herry and Neil. "You guys go easy on her, okay?"

Herry began to speak, but Athena cut him off again. "And that means no snacking on other people's food." Athena eyeballed Herry as she began to walk off. "Okay?"

Herry nodded mutely at Athena before he turned back to Neil.

"Man, living with girls is _hard._"


	22. Honesty

This is a continuation of "Sorry" for Archie/Atlanta. At this stage I haven't written a continuation of Sorry for Jay/Theresa- would you guys like one? If so, please tell me in the comments :)

* * *

Archie's purple hair was flat and soaked with rain that dripped down his face, around his apologetic eyes as he gave a tiny sheepish smile as he stood there.

"Hey…" Archie began awkwardly, standing at the door to Atlanta's room.

"Decided you can talk to me again, huh?" Atlanta snapped, her eyes dead. She stood in her doorway, defiant as she stood with one hip jutting out, holding the door open. Her eyes seemed wet, round and soft for once.

Archie wrung his hands awkwardly.

"Yea, well, I… uh…" He seemed to have lost his nerve, biting his tongue.

Atlanta gave a tired sigh. "Look, Archie, I don't really have-"

"H-how are you going?" Archie jumped in quickly. Atlanta raised her eyebrows.

"Fine."

"That's, uh, good."

His hands were still wringing themselves.

Another sigh came from Atlanta, and it seemed to stretch from her head to her feet, soaking her with tiredness. "Archie, why are you here?"

"I just wanted to say sorry."

They both looked at their feet.

Atlanta looked up, a gloomy smile on her face.

"And what if I told you I didn't want to hear it? Or that I didn't like you anyway? Hmm?"

It was Archie's turn to sigh. "I guess that would make you a bit of an ass."

"Yea, it really would, wouldn't it?"

"I meant it, when I said I was sorry." Archie muttered despondently, his foot pawing at the ground, hands in his pockets now.

"So did I." Atlanta murmured, her eyes melting into Archie's grey. "Really, Arch. I wanted it to work out."

Archie looked up at Atlanta hopefully, biting his lip before he spoke. "Well… could we give it another shot?"

Atlanta's eyes warmed, just a little, with a flash of something Archie had so missed.

"Yea."


	23. Two Too Many

"Wait, lemme get this straight: Jay made you build him a perfect replica of the immortal God that has spent the past 8 months trying to kill us all?" Herry asked incredulously as he and Hephaestus sat in the workshop, sharing lunch.

Hephaestus wiped the sweat off his forehead with his heavily gloved hand, tucking into the entire roast chicken he and Herry were sharing.

"Yup. Even programmed it to act the same."

Herry's eyebrows knitted together in confusion, his hands clutching a drumstick. "Well that's stupid. It's not like we haven't got enough on our hands with one Cronus or anything." He gulped, ferociously swallowing the last of his chicken, tossing the bone to the side. "You're really not kidding about this?" Herry asked again, peering around the workshop as if to look for evidence.

Hephaestus wiped his hands on his shirt, staining it with ever more grease.

"I wish I was, Herry. Jay's a great leader and all, but I don't know about this. Seems a bit dangerous if you ask me."

Herry bit his lip in thought, his burly arms crossed across his massive chest. "I still can't believe this... You're _really_ serious?"

Hephaestus waddled over to his workbench as he spoke, beginning to pull out various tools.

"Like I said, Herry. Perfect replica."

"Why?!"

Hephaestus muted his voice, motioning for Herry to come closer to listen. Herry obliged, shuffling over as Hephaestus started talking.

"I think Jay's a bit… stressed, ya know?" His gruff voice muttered, trying to be secretive. "Not in his right mind and all. You kids have gotta try and support him a bit for now." For such a rough, crackling voice, Hephaestus' tone was kind enough. Herry found himself nodding.

"Yea, he kinda gets that way." Herry agreed, and the pair lapsed into silence as Hephaestus began working on some scrap metal. Herry stood next to him, his thoughts rendering him oblivious to the crashing and banging of the workshop.

After a few moments of their shared silence, Herry spoke again, still sounding to be in a state of wonderment.

"Really though, does it have the scythes?"

"Yup." Hephaestus muttered between grunts as he beat the metal.

"Super strength?"

*Grunt*. "Yep."

"Ability to make up schemes and plans to kill us?"

"Yep."

"Actually wants us dead, like the real Cronus?"

Bang, grunt. "Yep."

"And it's supposed to be a _good_ thing?"

"Meant to."

Herry sighed in frustration, groaning as he put his hands to his head.

"Great. Perfect. Just great."

Hephaestus smiled wistfully as he turned back to his work.

"Well, you kids have fun with that."

Herry snorted as he walked out.

_Fun._


	24. Shell Shock

This is just a piece exploring some of the heroes' experiences in their first few days in New Olympia. I mean, they got randomly picked up by a giant bird, dropped in a new city and told the greek gods were real and they had to defeat them... I know I would take a little while to believe someone if they told me that!

* * *

"Such a fancy, happy city…" Archie mumbled angrily to himself as he kicked a can along the sidewalk of a backstreet, hands in pockets and eyes deliberately downcast, deep in thought. _Too many fancy streets here, pretty things and places… _Archie decided of New Olympia. You couldn't just pick up a teenager with some big crazy bird and drop them in the glittery city and say "You're a hero now, go save the totally-not-imaginary world". It was okay for the rest of those teenagers: Jay was some natural leader, all bossy and motivated, and that girl with the bright red hair always seemed so up for everything. And the brawny guy: well, he walked straight out of greek mythology. They all actually fit in here- in this world of being brave and glamorous and heroic. Archie?

Archie knew he wasn't a hero, and he was sick of being lied to.

* * *

"And that's the best cafe, they use rainforest alliance beans and have soy and almond milk, which is my favourite." Atlanta pointed out to Theresa as they crossed the busy street, with car horns pulsing and pedestrians milling crazily.

"Sounds good…" Theresa offered, her glazed eyes following each and every car as they whizzed by. She'd scarcely heard Atlanta's words.

Atlanta realised she was losing her audience. "I guess it's a lot to take in." Atlanta offered, beginning to watch the traffic herself. It felt pretty normal to Atlanta: she was accustomed to a busy, loud world of cities. Her own family was pretty busy and loud too, what with two older brothers and one younger one.

Theresa smiled gratefully. "Yea, I'm not really used to so many traffic lights. There's, like, one every street here." She admitted, biting her lip.

"Where did you come from?!" Atlanta asked incredulously, unable to hide her disbelief. "I so had you tagged as a city girl!"

Theresa laughed at that, loosening up a little. "Since I was 10 I've lived in the country, on a kinda big estate with my dad."

Atlanta grinned. "What, and you were in Pony Club and everything? Rode a horse to school?" It all seemed so alien to Atlanta, and she found herself more and more interested in this girl she'd thought she already figured out. Maybe they were going to be better friends than Atlanta anticipated.

"Yea, I did Pony club. We still own a few horses, but Dad's main interest is cattle." Theresa rolled her eyes at that. "Well, cattle and money. He's very focused on his business."

Atlanta couldn't help but ask. "So, are you meant to inherit the cattle business? You know live exports are cruelty, right?"

Theresa stopped, turning to face Atlanta with her eyebrows raised. "You really think I want to go into cattle farming?"

Atlanta gave a sigh of both relief and laughter. "No, you're not that kinda person." She agreed. It was in that moment that Atlanta decided internally that of all the people she could find herself trapped with in a team of 5 guys to defeat the god of time, Theresa was a pretty good pick.

* * *

When Odie first was told he was going to study physics and sciences and math with the greatest immortal philosophers of all time, he thought he was dreaming.

"So wait… time and space can be manipulated into one continuum…?" Odie asked incredulously, brows furrowed behind his green glasses, fingers to his forehead.

Hermes nodded eagerly, the ear flaps on his hat bouncing.

"And that allows the greek god of time, who is actually real, to travel through portals between different spaces in spilt seconds."

Hermes nodded again.

Odie failed to respond this time. It had been over an hour now in which Hermes had been trying to explain to Odie the science of immortals. Now, Odie simply sat open mouthed.

Hermes, upon realising Odie wasn't going to reply any time soon, decided ti was time to comfort the kid. After all, it was pretty clear he was a genius: and he knew his way around a computer better than Archimedes.

"Well, I suppose it is a little overwhelming to be told that all the laws of physics are wrong." Hermes said, typing away happily at his computer.

Odie nodded blankly.

"But, hey, it's your first day. I'm sure you'll get the hang of things soon enough."

"Uh huh…" Odie's voice was quiet, still in awe. The computers around the room beeped in response to Hermes' email, the masses of cords that surrounded them shaking slightly.

"Oh, that'll be Zeus…" Hermes mumbled to himself. Odie remained silent.

"Don't worry, kid." Hermes began, opening a new email now and typing once more. "Everyone's a little overwhelmed. Just you wait until we start on how Gravity really works though!"

"Gravity… now gravity's different?" Odie asked weakly, rubbing his temples.

"Well, duh. How else do you think my boots let me fly?" Asked Hermes, chuckling to himself.

The next sound was a _thump_ as Odie's limp form collapsed into the ground.

"O-Odie?" Hermes asked, still peering intently at the screen.

There was no sound.

"You alright buddy?" Hermes asked, typing vigorously as he turned to face his student. The typing slowed to a stop when he saw Odie's crumpled form on the ground.

"Oh."


	25. Couch Cuddles

"You sure they're not coming back for at least an hour?" Archie asked nervously -again- as he and Atlanta sat entwined on the lounge room couch. Snow drifts caressed the window through which bright white sunlight was streaming through, accompanied by a chilly breeze. Atlanta rolled her eyes, a teasing smile on her face.

"Archie, I promise. Herry's in the weights room which he won't leave for a while, Neil's shopping, Odie's out with that girl and Theresa and Jay have lessons with their mentors. We've got the place to ourselves." She said easily, curling up as her thighs sat atop Archie's, a blanket shielding them both from the cold winter's day. Ever since the affair with the Mariokart, the pair had been hyper vigilant about this sort of thing. Well, Archie had. Atlanta just laughed it off, but went along with his paranoid antics. That day had been a lucky miss for them both after all.

"Just making sure… Herry and Neil will never let me live it down if they saw us cuddling. And just imagine _Odie…_" Archie shuddered dramatically, teasing a laugh from Atlanta.

"Oh, you'd be okay. Or are you embarrassed to call me your girlfriend?" She goaded, poking him in the side.

"No, it's just… they'll keep asking me what I've done with you and stuff. How come Jay and Theresa never cop any of this?" Archie asked insistently, looking ahead now. Atlanta smiled reluctantly at her paranoid… boyfriend. She decided she liked calling Archie that.

"Oh, they do. Maybe they're just not as touchy about it." Atlanta suggested, snuggling closer. "But I don't mind that you're touchy. It's cute."

"Cute? Is that all I am?" Archie asked, pouting. "I'm meant to be a warrior, but even my girlfriend calls me cute." The word girlfriend sounded odd in Archie's head, but somehow he liked it when he described Atlanta. Girlfriend.

"Oh, you're a big, muscly, brawny, heroic guy who is saving the world and has killer fighting skills. Does that sound better?" Atlanta offered.

"Much better." Archie agreed, resting his head on Atlanta's shoulder.

Atlanta smiled to herself.


	26. Anger

The knife soared through the air, landing square in the middle of the target.

"Hey, nice throw, that's looking great, maybe next time just watch out for m-"

Jay didn't finish his sentence before two more knives shot past, landing exactly on opposing outer edges of the target. Atlanta's fierce gaze faltered for a moment as she grinned, taking in her perfect aim.

"That's better." Atlanta declared to herself.

Across the gym, Theresa's huffing, angry voice rang out.

"I can't believe," Theresa fumed, her wrist flinging out to meet the punching bag-

"He even" -a flying kick made a sharp slap with the flailing target-

"DARED" -three more punches-

"lie" -another arcing kick as the chain on the punching bag began to rattle-

"to" -Theresa's elbow slammed into the bag again-

"you!" Theresa's final kick met the bag with a loud _thud_, and the stuffing of the bag blossomed from the base.

"UGH!" Theresa huffed angrily, stalking off from the punching bag. "That's it, I need more combat." She marched furiously across the gym, her red hair bouncing with every step.

Atlanta turned back to the targets.

"Jay, you wanna move this time? My aim's pretty good, but I wouldn't want to test it."

Jay simply backed away, nearly bumping into Archie, who was on his way into the gym.

"Oh, sorry Jay. I was just coming in to see if…"

But Archie's voice trailed off as he surveyed the scene. Theresa's limbs flew with an aggressive ferocity, her body pummelling punches and kicks as her green eyes -even from across the gym- were nothing short of icy. Atlanta had moved on from the knives, racing around the obstacle course. She flew over the leaps, landing cat-like as she shot various targets before quickly racing on.

"What is up with you two?" Archie asked bluntly.

Two pairs of furious eyes paused to death stare across the gym.

Jay leant over and whispered in Archie's ear. "I think Dennis cheated on Atlanta… I wouldn't mention it for a few days."

Archie simply began to back away.

"Oh-kay…" He whispered as he and Jay left the gym. "Note to self: for the love of all things holy, _do not_ get on their bad side. Ever."

* * *

I've always felt like Theresa and Atlanta are the sort of girls to make sure revenge is given where it's due- especially Atlanta. And I've always imagined the guys to be very wary of the girls when they're having bad days; be it PMS, or getting stressed, or dumped.


	27. Acorn

The day had been too wonderful to spend inside, and yet Jay and Theresa really couldn't justify not trying to catch up on their homework. As a result, they had found themselves migrating to the local park to snatch some of the crisp, warm air and the blue skies that seemed to radiate hope.

Fluffy clouds dotted the sky that watched over the pair on their picnic mat, notes and textbooks and pens scattered across it. Theresa sat cross legged, her notebook balanced on her knee as she scratched notes into the paper, mirroring Jay. Theresa bit her lip in frustration at the maths problem, finally giving in and deciding to distract herself.

"So, how have you been going?" She asked Jay airily, half glancing at her paper, chewing her pen.

Jay didn't look up as he answered. "Oh, you know, same as always. I reckon we'll catch Cronus soon."

The mention of the God's name irked Theresa.

An acorn, as if by accident, dropped off the tree and hit Jay right on top of the head, bouncing off.

"Ow!" Jay answered, rubbing his head. "Maybe studying out here wasn't such a good idea."

"Apart from Cronus and all?" Theresa asked, ignoring Jay's little moment.

"Oh…" Jay wondered. He hadn't really thought of that. "Uh… well, see this new strategy I've got planned- once you learn to read his mind, of course-"

Another acorn, this one falling significantly faster, bounced off Jay's head with a little "thunk" as it did so. "Ah!" Jay hissed, rubbing his head again. "What is it with this tree?"

"I don't know." Theresa responded easily, staring disinterestedly at her book as the wind rustled and hissed between them. "So when are you next free?"

Jay was still blind. "Not for the next few weeks. I mean, this whole operation means that I just don't wanna leave the brownstone- planning and all. It's not like catching a God is easy-"

Two acorns this time, right after each other, exactly in the centre of Jay's head.

"What is with this?!" Jay demanded, looking up angrily at the tree. Theresa was looking into the distance, feigning a look of innocence. Finally, Jay began to cotton on to what was happening.

"Theresa, if you're making those acorns fall with your powers or something…"

Another acorn landed on Jay's head, and he looked like grumpy cat as he stared at Theresa now.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said easily. "Can you help me with this problem?"

"Theresa, you can't just drop acorns on people's heads when you don't like what they're saying."

Theresa raised one eyebrow as another acorn gave a healthy "thunk" as it hit Jay's head.

Jay's expression remained stony. "You can't just make me stop brooding by hitting me with acorns."

It was around that point that the cascade began.

Jay had never realised just how many acorns there were in trees until that day.


	28. Friday Night

Herry fishtailed the car around, throwing it's inhabitants around once more like lotto balls in a spinner, teasing out from the teens a collective groan as they braced themselves to hit windows, doors and people.

"Is it gone yet?!" Neil demanded, rubbing his head which had bounced off the window for the fifth time now. "We've been been doing this for an hour now. How long can Cerberus possibly chase us?!"

"Yea, and Archie's not doing so well…" Atlanta mumbled worriedly, leaning away from the pale looking Archie with his head between his legs.  
"You would look this way if _you'd_ been shaken up like a cocktail for an hour. This is why I don't go on those spinning rides at the fair!" Archie slurred defensively, squeezing his eyes shut. "You only jumped in here 20 minutes ago."

"Ah, yea, cuz Theresa and I were being chased by some giant three headed dog before that." Atlanta reminded Archie.

"And you guys took your time to get to us!" Theresa added, looking pointedly at Herry.

Herry shrugged, looking remarkably relaxed as the forest shot past the car as a blur, Herry frequently dodging potholes or simply weaving to make them harder to follow. "Eh, you guys were alright." As Herry spoke, he spun the wheel violently once more to the right, flying through a hole in the fence alongside the road that he'd only just seen. Archie, Atlanta, Theresa and Neil flew to the side with the force of the turn, with elbows gouging stomachs, heads butting shoulders and hands pressed up against the window again. The sound of tiny smacks as everyone's extremities collided was mingled with cries of "HERRY!" as the car whirled around.

"Please, no more turns…" Archie mumbled, his face now tinged with green. Atlanta responded urgently. "Herry, spew bag?!" She quipped, looking very concerned for herself as Archie swayed.

Theresa yanked a paper bag out from the seat in front of her, tossing to Atlanta whom wasted no time in handing it to the now desperate-looking Archie.

Luckily, it seemed it wasn't needed.

"I think I'm okay, guys…" Archie said uncertainly, sitting up. "For now." He added, eyeing off Herry.

It didn't last: a crash came from the back of the car as a ball of fire spat behind them, jolting the car forwards and this time heads hit seats.

"Who knew it could do that?" Theresa asked angrily. "Come on, that's not fair." She was rubbing her head now, looking tired from the trip.

Neil's PMR beeped, and he answered with his trademark, "Heeeeellloooo?"

Jay's strained, stressed voice was audible throughout the car.

"Neil, hey. Where are you guys at? We've got the-"

Herry swung the car again, and a chorus of groans and yells and bangs made Jay's voice impossible to hear. Silence returned again, and Jay's voice, crackling with static, came out.

"Are you guys alright?"

Neil smiled to himself, rolling his eyes.

"Oh yea, we're fine. Same as ever. Just a typical friday night for us."

Well, it wasn't a lie.


	29. Secrets

Archie's light, practised hand stole across the page, his pencil scratching gentle arches and curves into the paper. His back was against the concrete corner of the dead-ended backstreet, littered with rubbish and papers that the wind occasionally tossed about as Archie sketched into the book.

Archie's face was concentrated but calm, his eyes gently watching his ever-smooth hand stroking the paper with the pencil as he drew. The sketch was still in pieces: scratches of charcoal denoted arms, curls of hair, smiles on faces, shining eyes and legs of various shapes. But that was how Archie drew; in pieces at first, slowly coming together of it's own accord. His pencil leapt between parts of the picture, and Archie couldn't help but appreciate the quiet calm that engulfed him in his snatched moments spent sketching.

The padding of footsteps startled Archie from his moment of solace. His eyes glanced up quickly, already hugging his sketchbook to his chest. No one had any reason to wander down here by accident.

Her long red hair and red tank top made Archie recognise her in a second. Handbag slung across her body, green eyes quietly inquisitive, Theresa gently tip-toed over to Archie. Archie, terrified of discovery, tried to think of something to distract Theresa as he pulled his sketchbook tight against his chest.

_Schoolwork. I'll say I'm doing schoolwork._

_A-and in the back street because…. because the Brownstone is too noisy._

"I know that's not schoolwork." She said gently, although the words still made Archie shudder. This was why Archie had a problem with Theresa. Nothing was private around here. Theresa's long, elegant form leant against the brick wall, arms crossed and smiling kindly at Archie.

"No, it's, uh… for school. English." He stammered, his heart beating a little too fast for comfort.

Theresa raised an eyebrow.

_Bloody psychic._

"In a deserted backstreet?"

"The brownstone's too busy. Too loud for study. Gotta, uh, keep focused and all."

Theresa smiled at that- it was a knowing smile, and Archie suspected she didn't need to use her powers to figure out he wasn't being totally truthful here.

"Sure." Theresa's eyes travelled down to the ground, and she kicked at the dirt with her shoe, watching it grind up. "Arch…?" She began.

"Yea?"

"You don't have to keep so many secrets."

"I don't keep secrets!" Archie stammered, much like a knee-jerk reaction. "I mean, like, only the normal amount. Everyone has some secrets. It's what people do."

Theresa sighed quietly to herself. "Yea." Her eyes lazily flitted up and down Archie, whom was still on the ground for now, cross-legged and still clutching the sketchbook. "Well, it's a pretty amazing drawing of the team. You should show it to them when you're done." Theresa pushed herself off the wall now, ready to head home but still watching Archie.

"After all, I play the _lyre._"


	30. PMS

"All right, everyone coming?" Herry asked, swishing his keys around his finger. The rain poured outside, drumming a steady stream of beats into the window panes. No one had been keen to walk to school today.

"Where's Atlanta?" Asked Archie suddenly, his eyes darting around the room.

"She's not coming today." Theresa said calmly, not inviting further discussion.

Not that Archie was keen on that.

"What do you mean? Is she okay?" Archie pestered. "She seemed fine yesterday. What's happened to her?"

The rest of the team stood silently in the lounge room, Herry and Odie sharing a look.

"What, did I miss something?" Archie demanded.

"She's just… not feeling well, Archie." Theresa said kindly, smiling serenely. "Everyone has their days."

"Not Atlanta!"

Neil groaned. "Are we EVER going to get to school? Archie, quit whining about your girlfriend already." Archie's face, with the combined forces of anger and embarrassment, grew to a deep shade of plum to rival his hair. The group was beginning to back away from him a little.

"Girlfriend?! Ahhhhh…. she's NOT my GIRLFRIEND! What's so wrong about just caring about my team mates?! Not like you guys are doing much of a job of it now, is it?!" Archie exploded, scanning the group as he ranted, eyeballing every member of the team, his hands curled into fists.

"Archie, I think it's time we headed to school…" Jay began, reaching out to pull Archie towards the door.

"What are you guys hiding from me? Is she even okay?" Asked Archie again, refusing to follow Jay. Theresa sighed angrily before she spoke. "Archie, it's her period. Okay?"

Archie gulped for a moment.

"Oh." He blushed again, hands unfurling from his fists. "Sorry guys…"

The team collectively rolled their eyes.

Herry cleared his throat, still swinging his keys. "So, you guys wanna get to school then?"

There was a general muttering of agreement, as the team began to shuffle towards the door gingerly, still shaken from Archie's little outburst. Odie leaned over to Neil, to whisper in his ear.

"And they say PMS only happens to girls."


	31. Nightmare

"What did you see?"

His voice came out of the darkness of night, to the left of Theresa as she perched on the concrete bannister, cross legged with her head in her hands. Theresa couldn't bring herself to reply for once, her eyes focussing on the grey concrete beneath her.

Jay sighed. "It was the same, wasn't it?"

Theresa gave a slight nod of her head.

"But you know it can't be true. It just can't. The prophecy said-"

"Prophecies have been wrong before, Jay." Her words were harsh, and her pale white hands were tense and clenched in the moonlight. Theresa's green eyes were cold and hard, staring ahead into nothing.

"This one's different, Theresa."

"How? I'm sick of the prophecy. It's all we ever hear about. I'm sick of wasting my life simply because the prophecy said so. I'm sick of having visions of my friends' deaths. I'm sick of not being able to sleep any more."

"You didn't let me finish." Jay was still calm as he spoke.

"Fine." She snapped, rolling her eyes- the darkness didn't quite conceal it from Jay. He pretended he didn't see.

"_This_ prophecy's different because I'm going to make it happen. I promise."

"You've been saying that forever. Can't we ever just stop for a bit? Live a normal life? Let our guard down?" As Theresa spoke, her words became faster and more anxious. The wind began to pick up, whistling now in between them, a cascade of broken leaves whispering along the air.

"It's too much. I can't- I can't carry all this. I don't want to be a hero. I can't be a hero. I'm just a teenager and that's all I can be, okay?" The tables and chairs on the rooftop began to rattle now, shaking from side to side with the same manic nature that Theresa's hands now trembled with. The wind was giving an eerie howl, accompanied by the clattering of chair legs and rustling of leaves and the wind was cold and icy despite it being summer.

Jay took a few paces back from Theresa in quiet fear, surveying the scene around him and the cacophony of noise that had risen. Hysteria, that's what it was.

"Theresa, are you causing this?" His voice was coloured by a quiet note of wonder.

"I don't know." Her voice was small now, and she bit her lip as she stared down at her shaking hands. Jay allowed himself a quiet breath before he approached her.

"Come on." His hand was warm to her icy pale fingers, and he could still feel a tremor in them. The rattle of the outdoor furniture began to diminish a little, though the wind was still tousling their hair as they walked slowly towards the steps again. As the wind slammed the roof door shut behind them, Jay heard Theresa give a tiny sigh of relief before she murmured to him:

"Thank you."


	32. Jellybeans

This one was very, very fun to write. I have to say: thank you to all my lovely reviewers! Much love to megaminds, midoritree, honeygoddess57, historiangirl, MO-5431 and everyone else who reviewed because you are all wonderful! Keep it up!

* * *

"Ahem, everyone." Neil politely asked, ringing a spoon against an empty shot glass. "Now then." Neil said, wringing his hands excitedly. "The rules are: one person announces something they've never done. Like, I don't know, walking a dog." Neil suggested, watching the group. "Anyone who _has_ done that has to give a jelly bean from their pile into the middle circle, okay? The person with the most jellybeans at the end gets to keep the whole lot as well as their own stash."

The teens nodded, a plethora of emotions. Jay looked harassed and concerned, Herry looked keen, Archie was biting his lip and looking at Atlanta worriedly; Atlanta was up for the challenge. Odie was eyeing off his jelly beans, and Theresa looked politely interested.

"And, and you can't ask anyone about the details, remember?" Archie asked suddenly, desperate.

"Yup, that's right Arch. If someone has to donate a jellybean, you can't force them to give you any details about why. Of course, you can ask anyway. Now, who wants to start?"

"I'll go." Offered Herry, flexing his muscles. "I've never… crashed a car or truck."

Theresa flung her jellybean into the middle, the only one.

"Theresa, you crashed your car? When?" Asked Atlanta, already forgetting the rules.

"A giant eagle was chasing me at the time, okay?!" Theresa responded hotly. "Not easy!"

"Okay, okay, next one guys. Odie?" Neil asked.

Odie scratched his chin in thought, obviously trying to catch someone out.

"Well, I suppose I've never failed a test."

A volley of jellybeans hit the middle bowl, accompanied by a murderous muttering of "Yea thanks Odie" and "Smartypants" or "Nerd.". Odie smiled to himself- he had no intention of losing this game.

Neil spoke up again. "Archie?"

"Well, uh… I've never… been sick a day in my life."

"Oh come on, that's a cop out." Atlanta complained.

"Alright, alright," Archie admitted. "Then I've never stolen the armour of a greek goddess named Athena!" He shot back. Atlanta gave Archie a filthy look as she tossed a bean. "Funny, Arch. Real funny."

Neil butted in. "Atlanta?"

Atlanta grinned wickedly at Archie. "_I've _never dyed my hair purple."

Two jellybeans hit the bowl: one from Archie with a mutinous expression, and one from Neil. Eyes turned keenly towards him, begging the question.

"It was a phase, okay?!" Neil answered, feeling harassed. "My turn… I've never worn anything but designer labels."

Groans accompanied the clatter of jellybeans hitting the bowl.

"Theresa?" Neil asked.

"I've never worn an outfit with two colours that don't match."

Archie, after being nudged pointedly by Atlanta, threw a jelly bean in mutinously. Herry seemed to shrug as he tossed his in. Neil, Atlanta, Theresa, Odie and Jay all stayed still.

Neil spoke up. "Okay, Atlanta and Theresa I can understand. You girls have fashion _down._"

The girls shared a high-five across the circle.

"And Odie… eh. I guess I've never seen you dressed badly." Neil admitted.

"But Jay…" Neil began tentatively, not able to meet his leader's eyes. The rest of the team bit their lips or looked pointedly at the ground, trying to avoid the elephant in the room. Jay looked politely confused.

"What?" He demanded, trying to meet their eyes. "I dress okay." He offered gently, looking for support. "What's wrong with my fashion sense?"

Finally, Theresa bit the bullet and spoke, trying to be gentle. She reached over and held his hand as she tried to explain.

"Jay, look, you're a great leader…" She began, with a kind smile. The team nodded around the circle approvingly. "But put that jellybean in the bowl right now or so help me because purple and yellow do _not_ go together."


	33. Tattoo

It has been a whole week since I updated... :O! Anyway, thank you for the truly wonderful reviews. They make my day and somehow keep me writing. I realised I haven't really spent much time on Atlanta as a character, despite how wonderful she is. So, without further ado, here is a little piece :)

* * *

The kitchen was empty but for Archie and Atlanta, the latter of whom had just returned from the tattoo parlour, with freshly sore skin. The snug kitchen had an air of ease; Atlanta sat on the bench peering at her hip, where her new tattoo was- she bit her lip as she tried to decide how she felt about it. Archie's long form sat hunched at the kitchen table, pencil scratching idly at homework.

"So… is that, like, your 47th tattoo now?" Asked Archie, shyly as ever. Atlanta grinned, rolling her eyes slightly.

"Haha, very funny. It's my third." Her fingers gently patted the area, tender still from the needles that had sewn art into her skin. "Ugh, why do these have to hurt so much?"

"Why'd you get them if they hurt that bad?"

She chuckled, pulling her shirt down to cover her hip again now. "It's not really about the pain, Arch. That ends. It's kinda… it's like showing your love for stuff. Who you are."

"So all your tattoos are supposed to mean something?" He cocked his head to the side. "Why not just get a poster or something? Seems like it'd hurt less."

"Well… it's like my first tattoo." She rolled her sock down, showing the symbol for Greenpeace inked onto the outer side of her ankle. "It was the first thing I was really passionate about."

Atlanta pulled her sock back up, then turned her wrist over. Archie's eyes followed the movement, and saw that the word "Hunter" written in type-writer font on Atlanta's wrist. "I got this one because it was the first word I ever felt comfortable using to define me." She winked at Archie.

Archie wasn't sure how to respond, and so turned back to his mostly abandoned homework. Atlanta ignored him anyway, already looking at her newest tattoo again with her brow furrowed.

"Can you get me some ice?" Atlanta asked absentmindedly. Archie tossed his pencil down, wondered over to the fridge and pulling out a cube for Atlanta.

"Hey Atlanta…"

"Yea, Archie?" She responded, still holding the ice to the tattoo and staring intently.

"Maybe I'll get a tattoo."

"And what would you get as a tattoo?"

Archie thought for a moment, chewing his pencil and peering at his homework. "I dunno." He concluded finally. "Nothing comes to mind."

"I reckon sexist dork would be a good start." Atlanta teased, hopping off the bench to head up to her bedroom.

"Just because that _one time_ I said you shouldn't be leader…" Archie grumbled, looking back at his homework.

"Oh, it's not just that." Atlanta assured Archie as she waltzed out of the room. "Trust me."


	34. Stress

School exams always had a tendency to set the inhabitants of the Brownstone a little on edge, but every now and again various members of the team cracked under the stress.

The thing is, these aren't quite your average teenagers.

And they don't crack quite the same way.

* * *

"Archie, have you seen my biology folder?" Atlanta asked, strolling into the lounge room. Archie lay sprawled across the couch, the remote hanging loosely in his hand. The television was blaring, sounds of explosions and car chases filling the lounge room as Archie watched blankly. Atlanta surveyed the scene as she leant against the door frame, eyebrows raised critically.

"How can you be watching a movie when we have exams tomorrow?" Atlanta asked, trying to hide her own dismay. Archie shrugged in response.

"Eh, it's just an exam. How hard can it be?"

Atlanta bit her tongue on that one and decided she had better pick her battles.

"So, _have_ you seen my biology folder?"

Archie took less than a second to answer, his eyes leaving the television.

"Nope. Sorry."

"Did you even think about what I asked?"

"Biology folder." Archie answered apathetically.

"Yea, but have you seen it? I kinda need it for this exam."

Archie rolled his eyes, wanting to get back to his movie.

"Oh wait, I do remember!" Archie suddenly gasped, slapping his forehead as if he'd just realised something very important. Atlanta's ears pricked up, and she leaned in.

"Yea? Where'd you see it?"

"I think Herry needed something to feed to a giant Stymphalian bird, and it was all we had! Sorry."

Atlanta took a deep breath, willing herself not to grab the vase next to her and lug it at Archie.

Not that he didn't deserve it. But it was Athena's favourite vase, and probably around 3600 years old. Atlanta exhaled sharply, and focussed back on Archie.

"Archie, do you _ever_ worry about anyone else?!"

Archie grinned. "Uh, yea, of course."

Atlanta rolled her eyes. "Yea right! Who?"

Archie couldn't resist, even though he knew he would pay.

"Well, I worry about me, myself and I, so that's three…"

Archie could swear he heard the words "Pig-headed idiot" as Atlanta stomped back up to her room.

* * *

Theresa's long red hair was pulled back into a messy pony tail as she sat at the kitchen table, books strewn haphazardly across the counter. Her pen was madly scrawling notes as Jay's familiar footsteps carried him into the kitchen.

"Hey, Theresa, just who I was looking for."

"Hi Jay." Theresa responded, grabbing a textbook and fossicking through it desperately.

"Uh, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Can I study at the same time?" Her eyes were still flickering madly across the page.

"Not really." Jay admitted apologetically. "It's about you learning to-"

"Then it can wait." Theresa muttered, setting the textbook open and scrawling some notes from it onto paper.

"I don't think it can wait." Jay offered, still trying to garner Theresa's attention. "Theresa, I know exams are important and all but this is an immortal god we're talking about here…"

"Jay, do you think you could just shut up about Cronus for a while?" Theresa asked desperately.

Jay's look of complete offence rendered him speechless.

Theresa kept writing furiously.

"You know how important this is!" Jay finally demanded of Theresa, arms stuck out in front of him desperately. "You have _got_ to stop stressing about exams and focus on what's really important here!"

Theresa finally stopped writing, and a deadly glow flashed across her eyes.

"_I've_ got to stop stressing?"

"Well, uh, yea." Jay answered, noticing how Theresa straightened up now, and the slightly eerie look in her eyes.

"You, the king of stress and brooding, think you have the right to tell _me_ to stop stressing?"

"It's not like that…" Jay began, petering out when Theresa stood up.

"YOU THREW A CHESSBOARD OFF THE TABLE WHEN YOU WERE STRESSED, REMEMBER?" She yelled, hurling her pen directly at Jay. He dodged the pen, and it bounced off the kitchen cabinet behind him. "AND THEN WENT AND MADE A PERFECT REPLICA OF THE VERY GOD TRYING TO KILL US ALL!"

"Well, you went all purple and crazy and rendered the Greek gods mortal!" Jay answered hotly.

Theresa gave Jay a look he would not forget for many years to come.

"You want purple and crazy? I'll show you purple and crazy!" Theresa snapped, motioning with her fingers as a heavy textbook flew straight at Jay. He ducked, and the book ricocheted off the cabinet just above his head.

"You might need that book…" Jay muttered, although his words fell on deaf ears.

"How can you criticise _me_ for stressing?!" Theresa yelled, motioning with her hands as various notes and fruits and pens flew through the air towards Jay, who was trying his best to dodge them all. "You're the one I have to listen to and counsel every single time you work yourself into a mess!" She continued, looking for more things to send Jay's way. Her eyes settled on the freshly baked and iced cupcakes Athena had left behind.

"Theresa, it's probably best that we both try to calm down…"

"CALM DOWN?!" Theresa demanded, incensed even more now. "Ugh!" The cupcakes now all flew at Jay, splattering his clothes in blue icing as crushed cupcakes littered the ground. As Jay was surveying his ruined outfit and Theresa was fuming, Herry ambled into the kitchen.

"You guys sure made a racket-"

Herry stopped, observing the scene.

"Okay Theresa, I get the whole getting mad at Jay thing." Herry admitted. "He's pretty annoying at times." Herry gave Jay an apologetic look. "But why the cupcakes?"

Theresa rolled her eyes, beginning to gather up her remaining notes.

"Herry, let me put it this way: something had to get thrown at Jay, and it was the cupcakes or the cutlery."


	35. Miracles

Miracles weren't something that Archie believed in. Archie's belief was that if something happened, it was caused by real events. You won fights because you trained and fought hard; you failed tests because you didn't study or just weren't smart enough. Archie lived in a very black and white world: a world without miracles and magic and prophecies and predictions and that other stuff. Maybe it was a survival mechanism for Archie. He'd learned a while back not to hope for miracles.

It was young, stupid little Archie believed in miracles and magic. Little Archie thought you could move objects with your mind and read thoughts, and sometimes he could swear that the images Archie saw in his dreams meant more than just something random.

When he'd been told he was part of the band of heroes, Archie had thought that maybe he was right all along. Maybe he _was_ psychic, he wasn't just imagining things on those few and rare occasions. Maybe this was his moment to realise his talent.

But of course, then _she_ had arrived too. Flouncing about with her long red hair and nun-chucks that no girl Archie ever knew could wield. Bubbly, social, a black belt, rich, and gorgeous: and she could read minds apparently. The team psychic. Predicting the future, reading thoughts, moving objects: she was everything Archie thought he was, but better beyond belief.

Drama Queen.

* * *

I read a while ago, someone said they had this small idea that maybe Archie was, like a "little bit" psychic, but nowhere near Theresa's level.

And so, I just _had_ to try and write something.


	36. Harmony

I wish I was remotely musical. As it is, I can barely hold a tune! (that doesn't stop me from singing) (although it really should).

Anyway, this is just a little something that crept into my head :)

* * *

Midnight crept past, and the Brownstone was filled with tiny breaths: as if the building itself had lungs.

Theresa's fingers picked gently at the strings, her red hair hanging over her shoulder and green eyes caressing the lyre. The sweet, melodic tune seemed to soothe and massage the air around her: it consumed the room, including the brown haired boy sitting on her bed.

But within moments, the gentle, sweet notes of the lyre were joined by those of the guitar: Jay's own nimble fingers crept between the frets, and within the room a sort of harmony existed that Theresa wished she could bottle up and keep for eternity.

And soon, the acoustic notes were joined by voices.

There wasn't a song they hadn't attempted throughout their midnight escapades: the favourites included Riptide (Vance Joy), or We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Taylor Swift), or Iris (the Goo Goo Dolls). Perhaps one day, they would choose to share their music with the rest of the Brownstone.

But for now, the door remained closed, and the music played only in snatched moments of midnight.


	37. Dating Disasters

Just about every teen seems to have a dating fail of some sort... they're hard to avoid. So, here's a piece on the dating disasters of Neil, Odie and Atlanta!

(p.s. I _might_ write some for the other characters later, but please tell me if you have any ideas for them! I am running quite low on inspiration!)

* * *

**Neil**

"I mean, everyone had been touting my talent from an early age, but, I dunno, I felt like that was the moment I truly _met_ my potential, you know?" Neil finished, taking a sip of water to replenish his throat. All this talking was tough on the throat_._ He glanced around the decorated restaurant, bustling with waiters and adorned with watercolour pictures.

Nora's eyes were half obscured by her lids, and were glancing not-so-discreetly out the window, her hand to her temples. Neil figured it was time for some damage control.

"So, uh, enough from me Nora…" Neil began, giving his trademark smile. It never failed: her eyes darted back to Neil and a glimpse of excitement flashed across her eyes. "What do _you_ think of me?"

Nora looked like she was biting her tongue, so Neil ploughed on. "Nice restaurant, isn't it?" Neil offered, gesturing towards the many pretty decorations. "Of course, it's still my shout, no matter how expensive. I'll have you know I'm a true gentleman."

Nora's hand seized up into a fist, her expression black.

"You better be paying if I have to put up with _this._"

* * *

**Odie**

Lights flashed across their faces, illuminating her drawn out eyes and lilac dress as Odie approached Louise. She gave Odie a kind smile as he drew near.

"Hey, uh, Louise, tonight's been really fun, and I was wondering… if I could, uh, have your number?" Odie's voice broke on the last word, but overall he couldn't really believe he'd managed to get the words out.

"Um, Odie, tonight's been lovely…" Louise offered, and Odie caught himself smiling desperately. "But I'm, uh, not really looking for a relationship right now."

"It's because I tried to explain quantum physics, isn't it?"

Louise bit her lip. "No, not at all Odie!"

Odie raised his eyebrows. "It's okay. Really."

_Dammit, _Odie thought to himself as he walked away, _she seemed so interested when I mentioned I could defy gravity… Maybe she just didn't want all the details._

* * *

**Atlanta**

The movie's loud noises and massive images somehow didn't distract Atlanta enough from the fact that a certain warm, spindly hand was moving towards her chest. The dark cinema might have been cosy to some, but Atlanta felt stifled.

"Uh, really?" She muttered to herself, moving Rory's hand gently away.

He didn't seem to get the message. The hand kept crawling.

"Um, Rory? No second base." Atlanta hissed into Rory's ear. He rolled his eyes, turning to face Atlanta.

"'Lanta, c'mon." He said, winking. Before Atlanta could speak, she found herself experiencing something she could only label as a washing machine kiss. She shoved him away roughly, feeling rather disgusted with it all.

"No."

'Why'd you even come on a date then? Are you, like, gay or something?" Rory asked lazily, still half-watching the movie.

"No, Rory, I'm not gay. Maybe I just don't. Wanna. Be. Fondled." Atlanta spat through clenched teeth.

Rory rolled his eyes again, his hand creeping even lower this time.

He didn't see Atlanta's punch, but the "Oof!" he gave as her fist connected with his cheek echoed through the movie theatre.

Atlanta poured her popcorn onto Rory's head as she stormed out of the theatre.

It was pretty bad popcorn anyway.


	38. Sick Day

"You never get sick. How come you're sick?" Atlanta demanded from the lounge, her exhausted limbs sprawled across it lazily, one leg hanging off. As she spoke, Atlanta grabbed another tissue from the box next to her head, looking sickly. The day outside was dreary but dry: a white/grey sky that promised no rain or sun- just cool winds and spots of pale sunlight. Atlanta's least favourite weather.

"You heard what Chiron said. It's a _curse_, it's got nothing to do with my immune system. It's still working just fine." Archie claimed, perched on the opposite chair and wrapped tightly in a blanket. His chin was jittering intermittently, despite his attempt at defiance.

Atlanta grinned to herself. She could just feel Archie getting worked up.

"So, how does it feel, your first sick day?"

"I'm _not_ s-sick."

"Then get me a hot chocolate. With soy milk."

Archie's chin was jittering again, and he pulled the blanket more tightly around him.

"J-just because I'm not s-sick doesn't mean I'm your s-servant."

"It's, like, the rules of being sick. Everyone has to wait on you. Not like you'd know them."

"H-hey! I k-know rules. G-get it yourself."

Atlanta rolled her eyes, giving a pathetic sniffle before she pushed herself off the couch to fetch her own hot chocolate. "I'll get it myself, then." Atlanta gave a long, drawn out sigh to emphasise her point. "Even though I'm sick and all. Unlike some."

Archie didn't reply as Atlanta strolled over to the kitchen, feeling sorry for herself. "Ugh, I hate not being able to do stuff." She mumbled to herself as the kettle boiled. She eyed off her skateboard in the corner of the kitchen, right next to Archie's. _This is so boring._ _Sick days are the worst._

As the kettle gave a small "ding" to tell Atlanta the water had boiled, she heard a small snuffling sort of sound from the lounge room. Atlanta peered behind herself to see what the source was, and realised it was Archie.

"Sorry, what was that Arch?"

Archie looked mutinous from his blanket-cocoon as he repeated himself.

"C-can you g-get me one t-too?"

"Sorry, I can't hear you. Can you say it louder?" Atlanta teased, grinning.

"Y-you h-heard me." The jittering chin really ruined Archie's attempt at a frown.

"I'm sorry, I think the sound of your manliness has drowned you out." Atlanta apologised with a lopsided grin, her hand mockingly to her ear. "Wanna try again?"

Archie just scowled, pulling his blankets tighter.


	39. Black Out

_Sorry I've been gone so long! See, there was this really bad storm in my area and it kinda wiped out everything, so we spent 5 days without power and 3 weeks without internet (we still don't have it back, I'm stealing internet to post this ;)) with trees down everywhere and flooding and all that crazy stuff. And, the whole "living without power" thing kind of inspired me to consider how the titans would respond to such an event..._

* * *

Rain lashed against the window, the mist of bullets pelting at the glass as water poured down the sides of the Brownstone. The night was illuminated by the growingly frequent flashes of lightning that seemed to stretch to every corner of the building. Growls of thunder shook the building to its very core, accompanied by a howling wind that lapped at every edge. In the windows, trees wrestled with the weight of the wind, branches flailing against its force.

A crack, a splintering, and suddenly the flickering lights of the Brownstone -televisions, CD players, microwaves- went out.

And they didn't come back on.

* * *

"Hey, I was winning for once! You did that on purpose!" Archie accused, eyeballing Atlanta as they sat crouched in front of the television. Atlanta rolled her eyes.

"Yea, sure, I just magically made the power go off."

"Well, I WAS winning!"

"Let's just go find Odie. I'm sure he can fix it."

* * *

"Streaks, Theresa, not patches, okay?" Neil reminded anxiously as Theresa held the hair dye bottle above Neil's hair. Neil missed seeing Theresa rolling her eyes as the lights in the bathroom flickered off. In shock, Theresa found herself squeezing the hair dye bottle.

"NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Neil squealed as a huge glob of cold hair dye landed square on top of his head. "THERESA!"

_Shit, shit_, Theresa thought to herself, _I don't know if Neil will let me survive this._

"Ugh, just dropped some water on your hair, sorry Neil…" She mumbled desperately, trying blindly to scoop the globs of dye onto her hands.

"I KNOW HAIR DYE WHEN IT LANDS ON MY HEAD!"

"Oh, calm down, it'll come off…" Theresa said soothingly, wishing the power would come back on. The darkness seemed to engulf them.

"Uh, yea, only after it's dyed a patch of my hair PLATINUM!"

* * *

"No, oh come on!" Jay grumbled, smacking the microwave. "The one day, the _one time_ I decide I want two minute noodles…" He knelt down, staring desperately into the screen of the microwave.

"Please?" He begged the dark, unlit microwave.

It didn't respond.

* * *

The weights pressed up and down, up and down, in tune with Herry's breath. The gym echoed with Herry's rhythmic grunts, as he felt his muscles give and take with every pulse. The weights moved towards and away from Herry like waves lapping at the ocean.

There was a certain peace that came with doing strength work.

Herry took a deep breath, his eyes focussing on the iron bar above him as he let his breath out and felt his body tighten into the next bench press. Herry was about to bring the bar back down as the lights flickered and went out- suddenly, even the bar that was only a foot from Herry's nose became invisible.

Herry raised his eyebrows, confused- then lowered the bar back.

_Do I keep going in a blackout?_ Herry wondered, fingers still wrapped around the bar.

Herry shrugged. "No reason not to." He mumbled to himself, and began pushing the bar up and down once more.

* * *

Odie desperately clawed at the plugs, each hand carrying at least a dozen cords. His eyes darted pathetically across the many power boards and adapters that littered the room. _Dammit, why can't it be as easy as "Just plug in the blue cord?!"_ Odie begged angrily. No lights flickered, and his laptop battery was dying: after that, he'd need some other light source to help him scour the electronics.

"I can live without water for 3 days, without food for 3 weeks- hell, I can live air for a few minutes…" Odie mumbled to himself. "But I can't live any longer without MY COMPUTER!"


	40. Letter

Everyone seems to write some crazy backstories for Archie, generally including orphanages, drug rings, murders and street fighting. Or worse.

I have to be honest, I feel like Archie's maybe not quite that... majestic. Dark. Twisted. Mysterious.

So I tried to write a bit more about the Archie I imagine.

* * *

Autumn winds carry leaves, and as Autumn descended upon the Brownstone, a letter was pressed into Archie's hand.

A letter from home.

_Hi Archie,_

_Glad to hear you're doing something with your life. I always knew you had it in you to go far, and that street-fighting was too low for you. I knew you were onto better things. I hope they're teaching you well at the academy. Not just combat either: you better be up with your studies. Anything less than a B and you're coming home. But the lovely lady, Mrs Hera she called herself (odd name, huh? Like the greek goddess. She looked like a goddess.) says you're doing very well academically. I was a very proud mother to hear that._

_Back at home is much of the same. Little Elizabeth started kindergarten. I had to keep telling her not to take your silly advice and "beat 'em up if they don't obey". Night shifts at the hospital are as busy as ever, but I don't think they'll ever bother to staff the wards properly with us nurses. Money is a little easier -I can't thank the academy enough for promising to pay you a full scholarship, why didn't you tell me all this before you left?! - and we're almost out of debt for our rent now since your father left. 18 months- that's how long it took to get out of the debt he left us! _

_Speaking of your father, he hasn't been for a while which is a relief. Some nights I worry without you being here if he comes, but I think he's finally moved on and Elizabeth is beginning to sleep more easily now. Wakes up less and all. _

_We're both missing you very much Archie. Promise me you'll take advantage of this opportunity. You've spent too much of your life spinning your wheels in the dust. _

_Much love,_

_Mum and Elizabeth._

Accompanying his mother's no-nonsense scrawl was a tiny blue handprint at the bottom of the page.

Archie caught himself touching the handprint with his own hand, wishing he could once more hold the tiny fingers that made the handprint.

Before any more of his many emotions could catch up with him, Archie quietly placed the letter in the bottom of his suitcase, locking it shut. The tiny click of the lock reminded Archie of a certain security he so missed.


	41. Autumn

Atlanta's hands were in her pockets as she shivered against the cold autumn wind that ricocheted around the empty park as she walked home. She watched as crushed auburn leaves were pathetically crunched by her shoe, only to be buffeted by the gathering icy wind.

Atlanta tried not to think too much about Archie; she really did. The few conversations they shared seemed painful and forced, and much like the autumn wind, Atlanta wasn't really sure where all the icy-ness had come from.

* * *

_You coming to training today?_

_Yea. You?_

_Yea._

* * *

_You able to hang out?_

_Not really. Busy._

_Okay. Sorry._

* * *

_You look tired._

_Who doesn't these days?_

_Yea._

* * *

_Look, we haven't talked in a while…_

_I know._

_Don't you wanna change that?_

_Not really._

* * *

Shared glances between the pair had become stealthy and cold, and they snapped at each other with a brittleness that never used to be there. Atlanta's room had gone from being a warm rendezvous spot to an area actively avoided by the purple-haired boy, and conversations between them ceased to have life.

Atlanta glanced about the park. Tree branches snapped off, dead and thin. Leaves curled up and fell. Dust of the parks fluttered around uselessly in the wind that gave tiny, fragile wails as it slipped between dead and empty trees.

Autumn seemed like a pretty good reflection of their relationship right now.


	42. First Time(s)

So this piece explores what each of the teens would say when they lose their virginity -obviously NSFW, but to be honest this whole piece is pretty innocent; and very, very fun to write ;)

* * *

**Herry**

Are you sure that doesn't hurt?

Are you totally sure you're going okay?

I just don't wanna hurt you…

How is that not painful?

Are you totally sure-

**Odie**

So, uh, we can always reschedule, you know…

Well I guess if we're here anyway, and you're kinda totally cute…

Are you sure we're meant to be doing this? I'm a bit young…

Did I do that right?

So, uh, how are you going then?

Yea, this is good and all

So yea astrophysics…

**Atlanta**

Hey sexy- let's go!

I'm ready, come on man!

*rolls eyes* do you not know anything about a woman's body?

Yup, that's it, okay

This is great

You're already done?! Wimp!

I spent 20 bucks on lingerie for TWO MINUTES? Ugh, men.

No wonder so many women aren't straight these days.

**Archie**

Oh yea, I'm totally keen, let's do this

Wait, wait _I _have to get undressed too?

I'm not scared! Just really, uh, excited…

Oh, oh yea, mmm hmmm

I knew that! I was just testing!

That's it, I've totally got it now

So how are you feeling in all this?

**Jay**

You know, I'm totally ready but we can leave it for another time…

Yea, I just wanna make sure you're ready for this

So, like, this goes there? And then that goes here, and you say this and I do that…

No I'm not brooding, I just like to be organised!

Okay then, so like this…

Yea, all right, this is pretty good actually

Let's do this more often, like a few times a week

I don't spend all my time planning!

**Neil**

You gotta admit, for a first time, I'm the best anyone could hope for

Oh yeah, I know _exactly_ how to turn the sexy on

Ooh, ooh baby, oh yea, that's it…

You don't find that sexy?!

Well it isn't my fault if you don't appreciate ME!

Size isn't everything!

**Theresa**

*winks* Ready when you are!

Oh yes, that's perfect! Keep it up!

Yes, yes!

Man, reading someone's thoughts while having sex with them is a really… unique experience…

Oh yea, no it's fine, let's go again!

Remind me to ask Persephone how _not _to read minds…


	43. Fire

I realise I probably seem to update really erratically- often 3 pieces in one night, then none for a week. Basically, I have a crazy busy schedule with school and sport: I just don't have time to engage in writing or publishing at all during the week. Ideally, I'd only update one piece at a time, but I only really have one creative window per week... soooo, that's when I publish and write and everything all when I can. If I could queue posts it would be A+, but eh. I guess you guys will just have to cope with my binge publishing :) As always, thanks to everyone so so soooo much for the reviews, esp. midoritree, MO-5431, SilverNightShade (did I get that right?) and HoneyGoddess67! And please review!

* * *

If Archie had to describe Atlanta in one word, it would be fire.

Fire like her hair, red and vibrant and bright, unmissable in a crowd.

Fire like her nature. Atlanta was warm, loving and kind. Atlanta burned, burned with passion and energy for everything she did. Atlanta was fiery, and threatened to lick you with heat if you dared to cross her. Atlanta was bright, because she gave light to those around her and wasn't afraid to be seen.

Fire like her vulnerability. Atlanta had her moments of weakness, when she let her guard down or simply let it all become too much. Exams, immortal gods- sometimes even the fiercest competitor burned out.

But the true reason Archie chose fire was because of her eyes. Her eyes flashed and darted, burned with a quiet, fiery intensity and warmth that Archie would never miss, and never wanted to try living without.

And, because- although Archie would never admit it- Atlanta lit a fire of her own in Archie's heart.

Not that he would ever let her know.


	44. Magic

Darkness engulfed the pair and lapped at their skin, cloaking their eyes from the world around them. The only clues as to what surrounded them was the gusting, wheezing icy wind that licked at their skin and the crunch of leaves underfoot. And that undeniable inner _buzz_ you feel when you're near that certain someone.

A cold, slender hand found itself clinging so tightly onto the warm brown one as her orange hair was tossed in the wind and he leaned down, searching for her green eyes.

When he found them, he realised she was glowing. Not in that terrifying way when she took the Gods' power, but more quietly. A gentle hum as opposed to a helicopter whirring. And it wasn't weird. Or scary. Or exciting, or surprising. It was a subtle shimmering: her skin mirrored the moon half-covered by clouds, her eyes were lit up with a combination of joy, daring, and something ethereal that Jay couldn't quite explain.

It was completely and utterly Theresa, and it was _magic._


	45. Notes

I don't write about Odie enough, given I'm quite the nerd myself. Anyway, please please PLEASE review and also: please tell me which pieces you like- what works for you, what style and which characters and what you'd like to see more of, that kinda stuff. I love every reviewer dearly so keep it up ;)

* * *

"They're all high and mighty because they're _big and strong,_ but never mind that I have to do all the brains work!" Odie grumbled to himself angrily, fuming as he peered inside the locker. The piece of paper was almost unnoticed by Odie as he slammed his locker door open furiously, and he might have just left it lying by his foot as it was. Odie's notes had a tendency to spread themselves far and wide, after all.

Except, of course, that this note most definitely did _not_ have Odie's handwriting.

Odie only ever wrote in black ink, for one. Studies had shown it was better for memory.

And for two, Odie's handwriting- well, it was almost illegible. He'd never seen handwriting more unreadable than his own.

Until now.

His hands curiously picked up the neatly folded paper, suddenly immune to outside noise and distractions.

Words such as _love_ or _cutie_ or _attractive _or _crush_ or _valentine_ had never been written when describing Odie before. But there they were, on the page- right in front of Odie's very eyes.

A small bubbly sensation tickled Odie's insides, spreading out to his fingertips as his lips gave a tiny smile.

Studying for that geometry test would have to happen some other night.


	46. Hunter

So, I actually did the updating thing! Yay! In other news, I'm tossing up where I want to end this little series. I could cut it at 50, or 52 (because there are that many episodes, so you know...) or push on to 100. The next few months I have some big exams coming up and writing time is likely to be scarce, so I can't make any promises. When you're doing your HSC and cramming in 3 hours of study per day plus, like, trying to have a life and all... Anyway, thank you for your lovely reviews, I will see what I can do with those requests ;)

* * *

_A snapped twig_

_Slight scent_

_Half a footprint_

_Scattered rock_

"Come on now, where _is he?!"_ Atlanta hissed, her senses alert and tingling. Her eyes scanned the foliage, the greens and browns a useless conglomeration of nature. No clues here.

_Animal tracks, as if they were scampering from a human_

"This way…" Atlanta whispered to herself. Her feet treaded the ground silently, a true predator.

_A forked path, one path wet, one dry._

_He chose the dry._

_Not bad._

_Dork._

Her wrist gun was at the ready, as always and her senses were strung taut as a violin. Ears set to hear even the slightest sound. Skin sensitive to any change in the ambient temperature. Atlanta's blood was pulsing in her ears, a rhythmic thump, thump, thump.

_Overturned stone_

_Squashed leaf_

_Moss flattened_

Atlanta's aura picked up. _Close_. Everything about her intensified: her vision, her hearing, her attention to detail. She could practically _feel_ his trail now.

_Another snapped twig broken leaves disrupted moss two footprints handprint on the tree whip marks no birds around slight indent in soil a purple hair follicle twisted rocks branch grabbed_

Atlanta's feet raced, stroking the ground as she flew along his trail.

_No one escapes me._

And he didn't: once she caught sight of the purple hair, it was over for sure. No one could outrun Atlanta. Not that Archie didn't try anyway.

"So, hey, Lanta, I can explain-"

"Don't even."


	47. Health Kick

It was 5am sharp, and the Brownstone was ghostly silent as the 7 exhausted teens slept warm in their beds.

Well, silent but for the immense BRRRRRRRR that reverberated from the kitchen.

"Who's drilling into the wall?!"

"Is there a helicopter outside?"

"Herry, if you're that hungry just start breakfast without us!"

"WHO THE HELL WAS THAT AND CAN THEY STOP?!"

Neil glanced sheepishly around the empty kitchen.

"Sorry, guys! It's nearly done!" Neil yelled, his hand still on top of the blender.

"It's fine, I should be going for a run anyway…" Atlanta mumbled, wandering into the kitchen with a yawn.

"Atlanta! Good to see you up at this early hour!" Neil squealed happily, grinning.

Atlanta paused, staring quizzically at Neil. "You do know that I get up this early every day for my run, right?"

"Do now." Neil announced happily, grabbing some more ingredients for the blender.

"Are… are you okay, Neil?"

"Of course!" Neil gushed. "I'm trying a new health kick!"

"So, you're getting up at 5am and making a grass smoothie? How's that meant to do anything?"

Neil rolled his eyes before cheerily turning back to his blender. "Atlanta, it's not _grass. _It's kale! And it's medically proven now that waking up before 5 and eating a nutritious breakfast increases skin pallor significantly as well as general health. I'm taking control of my physical wellbeing!" He announced, before pompously pressing the "blend" button again and madly trying to hold the lid on top of the blender.

"You know, I think it's your mental wellbeing you gotta sort out…" Atlanta grumbled as the blender imitated a medium-scale hurricane in terms of volume.

Neil just smiled happily and waved a cheery goodbye to Atlanta, unable to hear a word she said over the din of the blender.

* * *

I like to imagine that Neil has a healthy passion for all the food fads. Acai, goji berries, chia, juice detox, Paleolithic diet- you name it, he's probably up with it. Well, until it goes out of fashion of course.


	48. Presence

For as long as he could remember, there was something about her presence that Archie found intoxicating. Magnetic. Thrilling.

He'd been sitting in his room the first time he truly succumbed to it. It was the day after the beach when Theresa nearly died; Archie had been sitting at his desk, trying to desperately to distract himself from every one of the stupid thoughts that pranced around his head when his door had given a shy creak. A light footstep pressed into the carpet, and something told Archie it was _her_.

His body had gravitated to the door, and her face reminded Archie of someone standing on the edge of an abyss- her tears were desperately clinging to her luminous eyes, her lips pinched as if holding in a sob. Archie didn't even need to mumble "Come in" before her ghostly pale form had stumbled in, turning around and shoving Archie's door closed. Archie remembered the way her head leant against the wooden door, how her limbs draped as if being sucked into the pits of the earth. He remembered how she'd scrunched her eyes shut, and how tightly her feeble fist was clenched.

"You need to talk?"

"I can't."

It was then that a tiny beaded tear had slipped down her cheek, and she seemed to crumble as she let her body slide to the ground and sat, back against the door now. It felt only natural when Archie found himself sitting beside her, his long, thin hand squeezing hers. There was something completely and utterly _right _about the way she leant into him, her strawberry-lavender aroma saturating Archie's world. It felt so familiar as his hand ran up and down her tousled hair, as his body absorbed her shudders as her breath heaved.

"I t-told him it was too much. And he kept pushing me…" She finally mumbled, her voice like honey, but choked up with tears. "It can't be my fault…" Her voice was scarcely a whisper now, a gentle _hiss_ as she buried her face in Archie's shoulder, warm tears soaking his t-shirt.

"It's okay, Theresa." Archie assured her, squeezing her hand. His eyes glanced nervously to his door. "We all make mistakes."


	49. The Pun Warrior

I have a confession to make. You know when Neil makes one of his terrible puns, and the whole team groans? And the audience is meant to think, "Oh, what a terrible joke, Neil has _no_ sense of humour."?

I am normally laughing very hard at that stage.

Because, dear readers, _I love puns._

On another note, I've decided to push this drabble series to 100 (explosion of streamers because YAY!)! Thank you to every single one of my reviewers, esp TheSilverNightShade; I kinda wrote this one for you ;)

EDIT: I re-wrote it again. I just love puns... and I'm a perfectionist. Who knows, maybe this will get another edit. It's writing: you're always trying to get better and better. Maybe one day I'll be content with this chapter. Till then...

* * *

"Everything set?" Jay asked anxiously, as the team stood huddled in a circle. Everyone nodded, looking calm and focused as ever. It was an elaborate scheme, and the tensions were running high.

"Well… there isn't much else to do, I guess." Jay continued, scanning his mind to make sure he hadn't missed any vital preparation. "Everyone brought their weapon of choice?"

"Ooooh, yes." Archie answered evilly, winking at Atlanta.

"I guess we've just got to wait for Neil to get here." Jay admitted, the plan still turning over in his head.

"Waiting for Neil before we enact a plan? Doesn't that always happen anyway?" Atlanta asked, grinning slightly.

"Oh, guys, Neil's here, I can sense him!" Theresa hissed in a whisper.

"Action time." Odie muttered, and the team took their respective places.

Neil strolled into the library with the grace of a Heron and the ego of Zeus himself; in other words, Neil strolled in like he always did.

"Theresa, hey! You waited like you promised!" Neil gushed, seeing Theresa. Theresa smiled sincerely, opening a packet of food.

"Hey, you brought food?" Neil inquired, peering at the packet. Theresa leapt in before she lost her chance.

"Uh, yea, actually. How was your…" Theresa reached her hand into the packet. "Date?" She bit into a pitted date, grinning.

"Theresa! That's, like, not even funny." Neil whined, barely noticing Atlanta ambling past, eating an apple.

"Oh, Neil, hey!" Atlanta began, chewing the apple. "So, uh, was she the apple of your eye?"

"Atlanta, not you too-"

"Or are you guys the perfect _pear_?" Theresa asked, pulling out a pear from her bag and winking happily at Neil.

"You guys _so_ planned this, it's because my puns are so good, isn't it?" Neil demanded, as Herry stepped out from behind a bookshelf carrying a bucket.

"What, Neil, you can't _handle_ a good pun?" Herry goaded, pointing to the bucket handle and grinning like he'd just won the lottery.

"That's so not even funny-"

"You mean, _knot_ even funny?" Jay asked, carrying a rope tied in knots. "Cuz I don't know, I think we're pretty… punny."

"I am so leaving. You guys are ridiculous." Neil began to stalk out of the room, only to find a pile of weights blocking his path.

"Oh, no, no. You're so not doing this-" Neil began angrily, only to be cut off by Archie stumbling in front of him, carrying a pile of leaves.

"_Weight_! You can't _leaf _now, Neil!" Archie was grinning from ear to ear, despite being overladen with objects to carry.

Neil was well and truly frustrated now. "Oh, and I bet you guys have _so many more_ puns right up your sleeve, don't you!"

"Well, I suppose I've got an ace up my sleeve-" Jay began, pulling an ace card out.

"Oh, and I bet you all googled some puns you thought were great-" Neil continued furiously, as Atlanta butted in, having pulled out a cheese grater.

"I guess they're a bit _grating_ after a while…"

Neil huffed angrily, crossing his arms. "You know what? Fine. I know Odie's still coming. He's probably got some cracker related joke, or some pun about "orange you tired of jokes?" thing happening. But that's fine. I'll just wait right here and let you guys have your stupid moment." Neil declared, eyeballing them all.

"Come on Odie, out with your stupid pun!" Neil grumbled. "Don't you think I haven't seen it coming."

But there was only silence.

The team looked at each other concernedly.

"Has he forgotten?" Herry whispered anxiously to Theresa, who shook her head.

"He can't have."

Silence was beginning to settle as a faint knocking noise began to be heard on the other side of the library door.

"Huh?" Neil grunted, raising one eyebrow. "Part of your plan?"

"Uh… no…" Jay admitted. The knocks continued.

Neil leaned forward warily, yanking the door open. "Yes?"

Odie stood on the other side, with a glint of victory in his eyes.

"Joke." He declared proudly.

"Huh?" Neil looked confusedly at Odie. "Say what?"

But Odie's lips were sealed, coated with a Cheshire grin. Neil turned around, only to see a similar grin across each of the titans' faces.

"Wha-" Neil began, before realising.

He then stormed out angrily.

_It was a knock-knock-joke._


	50. Deepest Fears (Also 50th chapt, so yay!)

YAY! I've made it to 50 chapters! (Who ever thought I'd make it this far, huh?) (seriously, I am incredibly proud of myself. I never thought I'd get this far.)

Anyway, to celebrate such an awesome moment, I have written this mega-drabble about each of the heroes' **deepest fears**. I have to warn you guys that this turned out considerably darker than I'd perhaps intended. But at the same time: I'm quite proud of it, and I hope you guys can enjoy reading it.

Also, (don't worry, I'll be quiet soon) two more things. One: THANK YOU SO, SO, SO MUCH to my reviewers. I can never thank you guys enough. Two: I have a little announcement... I happen to have a tumblr (my URL is youresuchagem ). I don't blog about COTT, but I _do_ blog about me, my interests, and occasionally post photos I've taken or some of my non-fanfiction writing, and I figured that given I've hit 50 chapters, it's time I shared my blog with you guys. Anyway, happy 50th chapter!

* * *

The bench was hard and cold, pressing into Atlanta as she sat with her head in her hands. Her muscles ached with fatigue, and her ankle was sore from when she'd sprained it mid-game; not that Atlanta had let it stop her. Blisters were beginning to show their red, sore welts on her hands and sweat had drenched every inch of her clothes. The cool wind gusting through the emptying stadium had little impact on Atlanta as her fists pressed into her eyes, feeling the hot, warm tears seeping into her gloves. Atlanta's breath was becoming rushed and sharp, and she begged herself to calm it down.

_Come on, Atlanta. _She told herself sternly, eyes squeezed shut tight to hold the tears in.

_It's just losing._

* * *

"You…you don't think I'm beautiful?"

"That's what I said, yea."

Neil's eyes flicked to the ground, suddenly warm and wet.

_What? Am I- am I crying?_

"I know… I know I'm conceited. And vain. And I spend a lot of money on product…." Neil began, his hands unconsciously picking his fingernails. "I have flaws. Just… just not ugliness. I don't have that flaw, right?"

"Well, what did you think I said then, idiot?"

"I dunno…."

Her fast, angry footsteps told Neil she had left. He was still afraid to look up; scared his eyes might betray him. A gentle shudder seemed to be rising in Neil's chest.

Later, Neil found himself in the bathroom, confronting the mirror.

_She's- she's just silly. Jealous. That's it, jealous of my good looks…_

But mirror Neil seemed to know that real Neil was lying.

_Stop making excuses. She's right._

There was a vindictive, cruel edge to the face that stared back at Neil from the mirror. Neil's own eyes were softened with tears, but the face staring at him was hardened with hatred.

_No… you're wrong. I've always been beautiful. I am beautiful._

The mirror Neil seemed to laugh.

_Beautiful? Please. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and she made it pretty obvious. She's the first one that's been honest with you._

Real Neil bit his lip. Hard.

_Don't listen. You've always been told you're beautiful. Ignore the mirror._

But that was the problem: Neil could never escape the mirror.

* * *

_I don't ask for much._

Herry's knuckles were white over the steering wheel.

_I don't ask for good grades, or some crazy high-paying job, or Olympic medals for weightlifting._

His eyes were of stone: staring down the road, flickering only occasionally. He sucked a deep breath in, then forced it back out again.

_Just keep them safe._

The wheel swerved to avoid a deer, before quickly returning to the lane. Herry scarcely noticed himself driving, his hands were tingling so badly. The buzzing was getting louder in his head, the lump in his throat tight.

_Granny, Neil, Jay, Theresa, Archie, Atlanta, Odie. _

His foot pressed further down on the accelerator, and the black road slipped beneath Herry even faster.

_I don't get mad. I don't punch people, or cheat on tests, or gloat about my strength. I don't expect a whole lot from life, okay?_

The lights in the distance began to grow bigger, and Herry's stomach felt like acid. His heart was beating madly against his chest.

_But please, please, please… they're everything to me. _

_Let them live._

* * *

The violet sunset was like a portrait outside Theresa's window as she sat at her desk, ready to start her homework. Just as Theresa pulled her pen out, a cacophony of yelling began from the teenager's separate rooms.

"THE LAWS OF SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION FOLLOW A TRIGONOMETRIC GRAPH…" (That was Odie)

"DID ATLANTA MAKE IT HOME SAFE TODAY?" (Archie's voice…)

"DAMMIT, I MEANT TO BUY THE ASH BLONDE, NOT GOLDEN BLONDE." (Neil. duh.)

"OKAY, LAST TIME CRONUS WAS SEEN WAS IN BARCELONA…" (Jay, of course, from the bedroom next to Theresa's)

"I WONDER WHAT'S FOR DINNER?" (no prizes for guessing who that was)

"Can you all stop yelling random stuff?!" Theresa complained, sticking her head out of her room. "I don't know if this is some joke, but it's really irritating!"

Thankfully, the noise stopped for a moment.

Jay stuck his head out of the door.

"Jay, why are you yelling? We hear about Cronus sightings all the time." Theresa began, confused.

"Huh?"

"You were just yelling, about seeing Cronus in Barcelona."

"I don't think I was…" Jay began, looking confused. "Were you reading my thoughts again?"

"No! I was just… I just sat down to do my homework and everyone started yelling."

"SHE'S READING THOUGHTS. MAYBE SHE CAN'T TURN IT OFF."

"Jay, why are you yelling at me?" Theresa demanded, becoming extremely confused. "And why are you talking to me in third person?"

"Huh? Theresa, I haven't said anything."

"OH MY… SHE CAN'T CONTROL HER POWERS. MAYBE SHE'S LOSING CONTROL."

"I'm _not_ losing control, you guys are just playing some weird trick on me!" Theresa begged, her green eyes searching for the familiar calm of Jay's. Instead, she saw only panic reflected back at her.

"You hear it too, right? Right? Joke's over, Jay." Theresa was pleading now.

"THERE BETTER BE HEAPS OF DINNER TONIGHT."

"I HATE IT WHEN ARCHIE RUNS FASTER THAN ME. HE'S ALWAYS SO PRETENTIOUS ABOUT IT."

"WHY ARE JAY AND THERESA SOUNDING SO WORRIED?"

"I DON'T THINK THERESA'S OKAY. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO HER?"

"See?!" Theresa gestured down the corridor wildly. "Everyone's yelling. Can't you hear them?"

Jay took a deep breath, as if trying to steady himself. His eyebrows knitted together in perfect, honest confusion.

"Theresa, I- no one's playing a trick. No one is yelling."

"WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THERESA?"

"I'm… I can't… You're lying…" Theresa's words were mismatched, spat out between hysterical breaths. "Please, no, I… I just…" Her words were mumbled, barely heard over the yelling voices. Her body slid to the ground, palms meeting the scratchy carpet of the Brownstone. "This isn't real, please…"

Theresa scrunched her eyes shut, her breath racing out of control. Her voice became quieter, cracking on every word.

"I can't be losing it. I promised I could control it. I can't…"

* * *

The stars peppered the night sky around Jay, the cool wind gusting noisily around the roof top. Stargazing was always supposed to help, but even the peace and magic of the stars wasn't enough tonight. Jay's shoulders were hunched over as he stared out at the bustling New Olympia, throbbing with life before him. Hundreds of lives- men and women and children. Grandfathers. Aunties. Mothers. Daughters. Sons. And every one of them, _every single one,_ depended upon Jay. More than they would ever realise.

Jay's eyes were unseeing- the lights of the city blurred into a mosaic of colours. His hands were numb on the concrete railing. His fist clenched, fingernails biting hard into the skin that had long since begun bleeding. Everything was saturated with pain; especially Jay's head. How he wished he could just close his eyes, and let this whole terrifying world disappear. He wished he could just scream, scream it out and let everything feel better. Or just disappear, and leave all of the suffocating pressures hanging over Jay's head far behind.

But every time Jay tried to let go of it all and forget today's mistakes, his thoughts rose up to taunt him.

Because every single one of those people were depending on Jay.

And he'd failed them.

* * *

Odie's hands shook as he stared at the fat F on the paper. Not just any paper; the paper that contained his final exam, the main determinant in his university studies. His vision blurred; the F was barely clear. Heat rose in Odie; suddenly, his bedroom was stifling. His hands fumbled as he shoved his jacket off clumsily, clawing for cool, refreshing air.

Odie's trembling hand placed the paper on his desk, and Odie forced himself to take a deep breath and look around the room. At the many, many formulas that littered his walls. The scrunched up papers from failed practice questions. The piles of notes that took months to compile. The practice exams that found their way into every drawer in his room. The debris of short, over-used pens and pencils and erasers and badly written mind maps. The perfect study plan that Odie had kept to exactly for 3 months straight.

Odie looked at it all, and he couldn't bear to see it.

* * *

The flames flickered before Archie, casting specks of light across his face as he watched the Brownstone fireplace avidly. The kitchen clock read 2am, and a quiet hubbub of breathing and snoring was Archie's only company.

"Okay, should be hot enough now…" Archie mumbled to himself, grabbing the black diary and placing it gently on the flames. A part of Archie wanted to take it back; to yank the precious book free of the flames before it's contents were lost forever.

But that was the point of all this.

Pages upon pages of Archie's messy handwriting began to curl and burn, until the most personal, intimate emotions Archie had felt were nothing more than smoke. The diary had spent over a year in Archie's possession, forever being filled with thoughts so intensely weighed with emotion Archie dared not show anyone. Such a book should never have existed; it was too dangerous. For weeks now the mere thought of that full book just sitting in Archie's room frightened him.

_But it's gone now, okay?_ Archie promised himself, noting now that very little of the book remained. _All that fear, it's all gone. Your emotions can't hurt you now. Smoke, that's all it is._

And yet, the unbearable weight that had settled over Archie was only replaced by a desperate sense of loss.


	51. Perks

There were plenty of perks to having a best friend like Archie.

It was always good to have a skateboarding buddy, for one. Someone to spar with. Someone to watch horror movies with. Someone to play video games with. Someone to annoy easily. Someone who had your back.

However, there was one perk that stood out to Atlanta far beyond any other, and that was that Archie would run with her.

Not just run like a few laps around the block. Not the 10km morning jogs that her previous football-loving boyfriends so loved to ask Atlanta along on to show off their fitness. With those boys, Atlanta only ever had to speed up to something she'd call "a decent pace" before they'd fall behind and claim an injury.

Atlanta could sprint with Archie. From a light jog, Atlanta could suddenly take off: feel her feet tapping the pavement, her quads pumping and her arms fighting as she pushed forward. She'd hear Archie's familiar "clip, creak" footsteps right behind her on the corners and catch glimpses of his purple hair as he caught up whenever Atlanta let herself get slack. Unlike other boys, Atlanta could _race_ Archie without him ever giving up.

Of course, Atlanta didn't mention her favourite part.

Atlanta always won.


	52. First Things

A shorter piece, for once :) Thank you again to all my reviewers, you guys are so lovely!

* * *

The first time Theresa talked properly to Jay, all she could see was his pessimism.

_Cronus is still out there._

She remembered stretching easily to sit on the balcony, in the loving summer's evening, her words of consolation floating out of her like waves lapping at the shore.

_We did good today._

The first thing Theresa loved about Jay was his responsibility. How he'd give anything and everything for the team.

And yet, that was also the first thing she hated.

* * *

The first thing Archie noticed about Atlanta was her fearlessness.

Where Archie seemed to spend his life running away from his fears, Atlanta only ever seemed to run towards them.

On one hand, Archie could never understand it. It was weird. Shocking. Confusing.

On the other hand though, Archie found it insanely irresistible.

* * *

The first thing Herry noticed about Neil was his absolute vanity.

The second thing Herry noticed was that it kinda totally paid off.


	53. The Storm

Well, it's been a while. I've just been through two weeks of exams, so things have been crazy at this end; writing time has been very scarce. But I now have three months until my final HSC exams, and in that time I might write a little more. Hopefully.

Also: I want YOUR help. Can you guys send me song recommendations? Fave music? For two reasons: one, because songs make perfect writing inspiration. Two: because I happen to like music. Funnily enough. Also, if you think a certain song reminds you of a character, send me a message/comment/otherwise communicate it to me.

Anyway, as always: thank you so, so much for the reviews. Honestly, they keep me writing when things get stressful at this end. Huge HUGE shoutout to TheSilverNightShade, Nollsthology, HoneyGoddess57 and MO-5431. You guys are the best !

* * *

The Brownstone was often mauled by the occasional storm.

Whenever signs of the storm appeared, most inhabitants would recede into their respective rooms for the next few hours.

Or days.

* * *

Theresa, Herry and Neil sat at the kitchen bench, playing UNO.

"Change to red." Herry declared, watching Neil carefully for his reaction. Neil's poker face fell for a moment, as a smile slipped through.

"Well, Herry-" Neil began, holding up a card.

"Just because you beat me ONE TIME doesn't mean you're the best!" Atlanta raged from the lounge room. Herry, Theresa and Neil all glanced at each other awkwardly.

"Oh, just cuz you don't like it when a guy beats you, huh?" Archie's voice responded angrily.

"I sense a storm brewing." Neil announced, rolling his eyes.

"A guy?! What does this have to do with gender? Maybe _you're _the touchy one, always getting beaten by a GIRL!" Atlanta's voice was getting sharper now.

"Let's, uh… finish this game later…" Theresa whispered, placing her cards delicately on the counter. Herry and Neil followed suit, treading gingerly as Archie and Atlanta's yelling continued.

"Al-always getting beaten? Oh, I suppose you don't remember that time with the sphinx then, when _I_ had to do all the fighting!"

Herry, Neil and Theresa were just at the edge of the kitchen when Odie came wandering in, looking thoroughly proud of himself.

"You guys will never guess what I-" Odie began excitedly.

"Shhhhh!" Neil shushed, gesturing behind him.

"Again? Come on, that's the third time this week…" Odie complained in soft tones as he joined the group of teens backing away.

"Oh, sure, toot your _horn of manliness_, why don't you?!" Atlanta's voice boomed.

The four teens treaded with an incredibly light step, fearing the worst if they were discovered.

"Horn of manliness? That's harsh, even for her." Herry whispered as the teens crept up the staircase.

"Yea, well, after Archie beat her in biology… it was kinda bound to come out sometime." Theresa sighed.

"HORN OF MANLINESS? You're the angry one, prancing around like a bull with horns-" Archie's speaking was replaced with noises that sounded as if Archie was imitating a bull's angry breathing.

Which, in all likelihood, he was.

A string of rants could be heard from Atlanta, unintelligible except for the words "moron" and "pig-headed idiot".

"Are they _ever_ going to actually start dating?" Neil asked, whining. The teens had reached the first bedroom door now, and were tip-toeing towards their rooms.

"Dude, can you imagine those two together? They'd never stop arguing." Odie said with a roll of the eyes.

"Yea, but they only argue cuz they totally like each other-" Neil whispered, cut off by another yell.

"THAT'S RIGHT, RIDE THE FEMINIST HORSE IN, CLIP-CLOPPING WITH POLITICAL CORRECTNESS!"

"AT LEAST I DON'T WALK AROUND LIKE A SEXIST ELEPHANT, YOU COMPLETE-"

"Well, see ya in a few hours." Herry whispered, slamming his door quickly.

"Yea, bye!" Theresa added, tugging her door shut too. Neil and Odie's doors soon followed.

Just in time.


	54. Shut Up and Dance

Note: I actually hate that song ("Shut Up and Dance", by Walk The Moon) BUT it inspired this piece... so I guess it's not all bad.

Don't worry, there's no drunk people in this piece. Just a series of moments. Also, thank you so much to everyone who had music suggestions! (I now have a number of good songs to have a listen to, and some inspiration, so THANK YOU HEAPS XOXO).

* * *

"Nope." Jay declared resolutely. "There is absolutely NO WAY."

"Bu-but it's the best party of the year, and like…"

The look Jay gave Neil was enough to silence anyone.

"We are NOT going partying instead of saving the world. I am NOT debating with you guys on this." Jay's arms were crossed and his voice had that familiar "I'm-the-grumpy-leader-and-I'm-always-right" tone that everyone had learned to hate.

"Oh come on dude, it's ONE party!" Herry begged. "And I already bought a case of-"

"Herry, you are not 18!" Odie butted in.

"Yea, but like, I pass for 18." Herry admitted proudly.

Jay rubbed his eyes. "Are… ARE you serious?! Not only have you guys planned to attend some crazy drunken party, but YOU ILLEGALLY BOUGHT ALCOHOL?"

"Hey, I didn't say it was alcohol, maybe I bought soda!" Herry protested. "Or… or other stuff. A t-shirt. Yea, I bought a t-shirt. For the party."

Jay didn't bother answering.

So, Neil butted in.

"Well, _I_ think this is a democracy, and we have the right to vote!"

"Neil, we are not voting about whether we can party-"

"Now, hang on a minute, how come you get to make the decisions?" Archie complained.

"Because I'm the L-"

"Yea, just cause you're the leader doesn't mean you get to make _every_ decision!" Archie argued.

"Yea, like how come you always get to ride shotgun?" Theresa asked. "I'm the better driver."

"Okay, but I'm-"

"And you always get the final say on _everything_, like all plans. Us girls should so get more of a say in this, we're already under represented." Atlanta added.

"And, you always get to battle Cronus while we're stuck with some dumb giants, and do all the heroic stuff!" Herry added.

"Seriously guys? It's just a matter of-"

"And you get to direct training instead of actually doing it half the time, and let's be honest, you totally need to work on your fitness too." Odie contributed angrily.

"Okay, now that's-" Jay began.

"And half the time you're so stressed out from doing it all!" Archie finished.

Jay pouted, and stared angrily at the group. "You guys all done?"

"Not really…" Neil offered.

"It was a rhetorical question, Neil."

"Oh shh, I think we all ought to vote." Theresa piped up happily. "Everyone in favour of the party?"

6 hands shot into the air.

Including Odie's.

"Odie, really?" Jay asked, sounding betrayed.

"What? There's a cute girl at school, and I wanted to get to know her…"

"Well, that's a majority vote for the party. See you at 8, we're walking." Neil announced happily, before flouncing upstairs.

Jay gave in with a sigh. "Fine."

A series of cheers exploded from the teens, and a whisper of "VICTORY!" came from Archie.

"But if there's even a _hint_ of trouble, or I see a drop of alcohol, or if we don't leave by midnight…"

No one was listening by that stage.

* * *

The wrestling ring was Herry's territory. That wasn't debatable.

The science lab was Odie's. Also non-debatable.

But the dance floor… that was most definitely Neil's territory.

Maybe it was the ethereal flashing lights that made you feel like you lived in some fantasy world, or the pulsing music that seemed to match your heartbeat. Whatever it was, Neil thrived on it. It had been too long since he'd been surrounded by nothing but the music, the darkness and the happy, sweaty bodies of the dance floor.

And it was addictive.

* * *

It was fair to say that Archie simply couldn't take his eyes off Atlanta.

The night crept past in hours as Archie's glance flitted across to Atlanta, over and over again. Half-hoping she'd ask him to dance. Half-terrified she actually would.

It was about 11 when she'd winked at him from the balcony, as Archie sat in the deck-chairs in the backyard. His heart had begun to beat madly in his chest as she darted over to him.

"Come on, dork, you're not missing this." She hissed, her red lips in a daring smile.

_Oh don't you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me_

"Hey… isn't this that song you hated on the radio today, because it's too mainstream?" Archie inquired, as Atlanta dragged him gleefully onto the dance floor.

"Yup." She answered easily, swaying to the beat. Archie noticed she hadn't let go of his hand.

_I said you're holding back, she said_

_Shut up and dance with me!_

"Super-sexist and annoyingly repetitive?"

"Yup." She was still grinning.

"Totally stolen from another underground artist in the 60's?"

"70's. But yep."

"Then if you hate this song… why are you dancing to it?"

Atlanta rolled her eyes, laughing slightly in the technicolour lights. She leaned in close to Archie, her eyes teasing him.

"Because it's not about the song, silly."

* * *

After Archie disappeared, Jay had feared it was only a matter of time before Theresa came for him. He'd been practicing the explanation in his head: _No, I don't dance, I'm the supervisor tonight, you can't make me, I already agreed to the party and that's plenty…_

Admittedly, he'd watched her. Only a little, of course. Just to make sure she was safe. Like everyone else in the team.

He'd noticed how she became so lost in the music, how her hips seemed to sway exactly to the beat; how she lived in a world of her own on the dance floor.

And, he'd noticed other boys' eyes on her.

But when she'd appeared, her cheeks glowing and eyes alight, she hadn't dragged Jay off to the dance floor where he would surely embarrass himself. At first, she'd just joined him as he watched over the party; somehow they wound up discussing school, and friends, and licenses and birthdays and everything in-between. And somewhere in among their easy chatter and her tinkling laughter, she found his arms wrapped around her smiling, energetic form. There was something so comforting about the ways his hands clung to her, how she curled into him. It was as if for once, everything in the world was just as it was meant to be.

Not that it could last.


	55. Memories

Well, I hope you're all going well, and having a lovely day. I've been crazy-busy with study, and applying for scholarships and universities and colleges. It's quite scary to think that I'm going to graduate high school in two weeks. I can't really believe it! Anyway, read, enjoy and review/request/otherwise chat to me ;)

* * *

"It's better this way. Everyone should just move on. That's what Miss Hera said we have to do, Theresa."

Jay's words were colder than Theresa had ever heard him sound. His eyes carried a similar frostiness, and Theresa couldn't bear to look at them. She didn't understand where all the emotions went: their chocolate-brown warmth, the softness to his gaze. But Theresa knew she couldn't find it any more.

"What, and leave this all behind? How can you just walk away from everything?" She demanded. Her green eyes flashed with a combination of fury and fear as she spoke.

"It's not like I want to, you know."

The cold Autumn wind whistled between the pair as they stood outside the Brownstone in the dying light of day.

"These gods have dictated our _whole lives._ Why do you keep obeying their every wish? What have they ever done for you?!"

Jay swallowed. Oh, he'd known this would be hard. Awful.

_But not impossible,_ he told himself. _And necessary._

"It's not about that, and you know it. They're _Gods;_ we can't just disobey them."

She huffed.

"Let me read your mind. I bet I can tell you what you really want." She lifted her hand up to Jay's temple, only to find her hand roughly slapped away.

"No." He spat the word into the awkward silence. "Please." It was as if he was begging.

She didn't speak. She didn't even look him in the eye. She just turned on her heel and walked back into the Brownstone.

A few days later, her bittersweet aroma was the only clue she left behind.

That, and the memories.

* * *

The blankets were twisted in endless knots around Jay's legs, and the hours crept on as he tossed and turned.

_It was for the better… _

_For the better…_

He tried everything: counting sheep, breathing patterns, meditating. Two mugs lay empty after his attempts at warm milk. Books lay half-open, tossed aside as they failed to distract him.

Everything failed.

Instead, he couldn't escape the sensation of his hand on her skin on that New Years' night, the warm tears that trickled down. You don't forget how it feels when someone shudders and heaves in your arms, nor can you forget the way you feel: as if the whole world is after them, and you're the only one who can offer solace.

He remembered all too well the way the city seemed to glimmer and glint in front of them, and how the frosty air nipped at their exposed skin that night.

Jay closed his eyes, and tried once more to tell himself his mantra: _It was for the better._

* * *

_He said it was for the better._

That's what Theresa told herself as she sat on her balcony at home, watching as dawn began to prick at the edges of the sky. Back in the early days after her mother's death, Theresa had done the same thing. Waking in the early hours of morning, when the world is still cocooned in darkness. Wondering why she bothered living.

Wishing she could just sleep, and forget it all.

_But that's the thing, isn't it?_ Theresa thought to herself. _It only hurts because you remember it all too well._

You remember the good, and the bad. You remember the mornings walking to school, the crazy missions halfway around the world or the morning coffees in the local cafe after nights spent in places other than your bed. You remember the smell of burnt toast, because Archie always turned up the dial until everything was blackened. You remember the sound of Neil singing in the shower. You remember the movie nights, the car rides, the visits to Chiron.

You remember his cold eyes when he tells you to leave.

And you remember that final goodbye.

Theresa pressed her hands to her eyes, swallowing down the familiar shudders in her chest. Her skin was tingling, as if electric currents were running up and down her skin. Dawn's fingers were beginning to claw her way across the sky, and Theresa sighed to herself.

_You'll recover._

_You always do._


	56. Sleep

So... hey! Just a quick drabble from me :) Hope you're all having a wonderful day ^-^

Also, question... how would you guys feel about a "The teens when drunk" type-post, in the same style as "the teens' first time"?

(I may or may not have almost finished it ;))

* * *

There was a little-known fact about most geniuses, and that was that the vast majority of them never slept.

Well, they slept a little. But never enough.

_Insomnia,_ Odie called it.

Hours of the night just seemed to crawl by with a different kind of magic than those of the day. Where most of Odie's days whizzed by in a crazy blur of chasing monsters and crushes and lessons and Greek gods, the night belonged to Odie. The late hours seemed to invigorate him: the darkness outside gave strength, perhaps.

When Odie had lived at home, many nights passed when the clock struck 2am and his pencil still scratched incessantly at the paper, solving the million maths problems of the world in a silent house with clocks that ticked incessantly. His head would touch the pillow at some early hour of morning, ready to be shoved into action far before Odie felt well-rested. Sometimes it was the need to _invent_ that kept Odie awake; other times it was a desperate need to study. Often times it was more that Odie's whizzing, quick mind could never be blanketed by the recesses of sleep.

But that was the brilliance of moving into the Brownstone: Odie was no longer alone in his owlish habits. If Jay wasn't up till some late hour concocting some crazy plan that Odie would later come and correct for him, then Neil was in the lounge room watching a movie. If Herry wasn't having his usual late night snack and emptying the fridge of any remnants of food, then Archie was probably writing poetry deep into the night (well, not that Archie meant for anyone to know this… but Odie's midnight wanderings had informed him well).

For years, sleep had felt like the frustrating domain of the genius. But since Odie entered the Brownstone, night began to feel less like isolation and more like home.


	57. Non-Sobriety

Confession:

I've wanted to write this for a very, very long time.

So... without further ado, here it is: **The teens when they're drunk.**

AND: I've replaced chapters 26, 35 and 36 with completely new drabbles, so check them out!

* * *

**Theresa**

Did I just make that cupcake fly?

Hey, why are the tables and chairs all levitating?

This is so, so cool. I'd drink more often if I knew it made the world go all weird.

Oh, _I'm_ the reason the furniture is floating? Nah, no way.

HEY, EVERYONE, ARCHIE LIKES ATLANTA, I JUST READ HIS THOUGHTS! PASS IT ON!

Oh, hey Jay… No, I'm not drunk…

*smiles cutely* Well, maybe a little. But you don't mind. I can read your thoughts, after all.

Oh, you're so cute when you're embarrassed.

But like, I like you, and you definitely like me, so…

Wanna save the world together?

**Archie**

I'm not drunk!

Just… tipsy. But not very tipsy. Like, a little bit tipsy. But not, like, super-tipsy.

My perception is _perfectly fine_, thank you. I can totally still out run you.

Okay… maybe I can't _out run_ you, but I can totally out-punch you.

Oh, sorry, didn't see you there… my bad… I was just trying to prove to my friend that I can still punch while drunk…

This is kinda fun, you know! Drinking is so cool!

Let's talk about everything. The galaxy. The universe. The meaning of life.

-a few hours later-

I take it back. I take everything back.

Why. Just why.

**Neil**

PARTAAAAYYYYYYY!

*winks at every second person*

Oh, _treat yo-self,_ gurrrlll. Cider is _waayyy _better than vodka. Or any cruiser.

Baby, let's DANCE!

Oh. My. God.

That guy's shirt is _so_ tight.

I love it.

**Herry**

I love you guys.

All of you. Sooo much, man.

Did I ever mention how much I love you guys?

Hey, hey are you threatening my friends?! COME OVER HERE, AND I'LL-

Oh.

Sorry, man.

Bro, did I ever mention how much I love you?

**Odie**

Oh no, I don't drink. It's been proven by over 50 medical studies that underage drinking has significant impacts upon the brain, especially in development of synapses-

Oooh, okay, she is kinda smokin' hot.

I guess ONE drink can't hurt. Right? My synapses can handle it.

Heeeeeeeyyyyy this partying thing is kinda cool

Did you know the… ugh… GRAVITY, and, uh… E equals… something squared… Pfft who cares it's physics.

Or should I say, FIZZ-ICS.

*laughs madly at own joke*

Like a fizzy drink you know? Like a soda.

*laughs more*

Because soda is a fizzy drink, and physics sounds like fizz… get it?!

Aww man, I am the LIFE of the party.

*tries to wink at girls, winds up blinking instead*

**Atlanta**

Nah, I don't drink. It kinda ruins your reflexes and all, you know?

Oh, you think you can drink more than me?! Come over here and prove it then!

One… more… shot… You can't… beat me…

Pfft, I can take _way_ more than that.

*trips over feet*

Dude, it was just a cool dance move!

Like this one! And this one!

And- you know what, let's just dance.

**Jay**

It's not alcoholic, right? Man, I'm so lucky to have such good friends. I know you guys would never spike anything.

Wow, I've never felt so… carefree at a party. Like I could go and do anything. Aww man, let's have some fun!

Did you know I'm a complete BOSS on the dance floor?

What, no more dancing? Awww, come on. I was just getting started.

How could my dancing _ever_ embarrass you?

What if I made out with you? Would that embarrass you?

Let's do a handstand. I'm sure that's a great idea.

Heyyyy, did you know that I'm the leader of a secret gang of teenagers set to bring down the God of Time?

Yea, totally. No I'm not kidding and I'm _so _not drunk. I trust my friends.

-next morning-

Theresa, can you please wipe everyone's memories of last night?


	58. Twister

Well, it's been a while since I've published, and I do apologise! It's been incredibly busy at this end.

For one... **I graduated a week ago**. (still feels weird to type that, honestly). There were a lot of tears, and it all sort of hit me at once that it really was, well, over. There are just so many people I'm going to miss: I had the most amazing grade, and some incredible teachers. And I think I'll miss just being a school kid in general, you know? I do still have to do my final HSC exams (in two weeks and counting!), so I'm not quite "free" yet.

And, in case you didn't notice: I did indeed change my username. I've been meaning to replace "goddessoftea" for a while, but I only recently thought of tea-with-emilia. Just quickly: no, my name is not Emilia. It's Gemma. But Emilia is a really cool Shakespearean character whom I would love to have tea with. There's more information on my bio if you're interested ;). My other username option was "Perse-phone-me", which I thought was _really really_ funny, personally. I suppose I really am a bit like Neil in that way!

Also, also, ALSO: I have a huge thank you for every one of my reviewers! Merdisney, I love you and please keep writing fanficiton + reviewing, you always bring a smile to my face! Also, massive thank you to nollsthology, honeygoddess57 and MO-5431 because you're all so wonderful, please keep up the reviews!

Without any more of my rambling, here's another chapter! As always, please review and tell me what you think :) (and please review for the other chapters I replaced, I'm so keen to see what you guys think of them!)

* * *

The radio blared monotonously with the evening news, ignored by the six puffing teenagers in the lounge room.

"Left hand blue."

The entire team groaned at Odie's announcement.

"Dude, I'm not that flexible!" Herry moaned, looking moodily at the blue spot.

"Yea, well if some complete fool hadn't taken over the entire board, maybe we'd have an easier time!" Atlanta complained, reaching over Herry's calf. "Got it!" She added happily, as her weight shifted to land on the blue spot.

"Theresa, can you move your leg?" Archie complained from the adjacent mat, his arm in the air.

"Trying…" Theresa grumbled, stretching awkwardly. "That better?"

"Now you're in my way!" Jay whined. "Odie, are you sure it was left hand blue?"

"Positive." Odie answered. "Neil, have you even moved?"

"Oh yea." Neil answered easily, looking entirely comfortable. "It just so happened that there was a free blue spot right next to my hand!"

Everyone rolled their eyes at that.

"Okay, but seriously Odie, can you hurry up and get the next one?!" Herry demanded. "I'm gonna fall!"

"Getting there, guys." Odie flicked the spinner again. "Left leg in the air."

"WHAT?"

"I CAN'T DO THAT!"

"Well, are you guys forfeiting then?" Odie asked. He knew the answer already, of course.

"NO WAY!"

Grumbles, huffs and the occasional slap of skin on skin followed as the team tried desperately to put a leg in the air.

"Jay, you know your knee isn't allowed to touch your elbow, right?" Odie inquired, noticing Jay.

"What?!" Jay puffed, desperately trying to hold position and looking rather like a pretzel. "Since when?!"

"Since, like, forever! That's just a rule of twister!" Archie piped up. "You're out, Jay!"

Jay sighed. "Fine, then. But I'm _so_ in for next round." He began to dis-entangle himself from the group, attempting not to bump anyone.

"Can't…. hold…" Herry huffed, his face growing red with the effort.

"Well, then you've lost-" Theresa began, cut short by the resounding THUMP as Herry's hand slipped out from under him, and his face promptly collided with the mat.

Herry began to get up grumpily, rubbing his cheek where it had collided with the ground.

"Man, I _hate_ twister…"

But the chain reaction had begun.

"Herry, wait!"

Atlanta hit the ground.

"Hah, I totally beat you-"

That was Archie, right before he hit the ground too, dragging Theresa down with him.

"Archie, nooo!"

And that was Theresa, who kicked out and managed to pull Neil down with her. The team had agreed beforehand on a "suicide pact" of sorts: whoever went down near Neil had to take him down too. They knew all too well how bad the following week would be if Neil won again.

Odie had been about to announce that since they all fell, _he_ would just have to stand in as winner- but for a moment, he caught himself simply surveying the scene.

Everyone looked ridiculous: red faces puffing with exertion, bodies contorted in stupid poses and the occasional swear word was hissed under the breath. Limbs seemed to interlock all over the place, and sweatpants seemed to be the dominant fashion. Odie couldn't remember exactly when it happened, but he had come to know everyone one of these faces so perfectly: they were as familiar to him as the back of his hand.

Odie didn't mean to say aloud what he said next.

"You know, I kinda hope we're all in each other's lives, years from now."

The six sweaty faces suddenly turned to face Odie, dressed in emotions varying from confusion to sadness. The playful atmosphere of the room seemed to have evaporated altogether, replaced with a collective sense of wistfulness.

Atlanta was the first to break the silence.

"Yea, me too Odie. I'm gonna miss you guys like crazy." She smiled now, her fierce features glazed with a sweet softness. "All of you."

"When did this, like, even happen anyway? I can't remember not knowing you guys." Herry admitted.

"Me neither. Feels like I've known you all forever." Jay added, surveying the room. "It can't really end, can it?"

For a moment, the teens' silence intermingled with the previously ignored radio.

"Hey, it's not over yet, right guys? We've still got a God to catch and a world to save." Archie suggested quietly, trying to erase the sudden silence.

"And," Theresa added quickly, joining in, "I'm pretty sure there's no other people I'd rather save the world with than you guys."

_"_Well that's the compliment of the night." Neil began, grinning. "'If I had to take down a crazy Greek god of time with anyone, it would be you!' That's so comforting."

Everyone couldn't help but laugh at that.

"If it's any help, Neil," Herry began, "If I had to choose anyone to chase out of the shower every morning of the week, I'd choose you anyway."

Laughter engulfed the room in its warm arms again, and smiles peppered the teens' faces.

After all, it wasn't over yet.


	59. The Morning Race

Well hey, here I am, updating again. Thank you so much to my lovely reviewers, merdisney and nollsthology (and thank you soo much Merdisney, I hope you're right about the big wide world not being too scary- because I'm still figuring out what I'm meant to do with it all ;)).

But, as always- please read and review! And request, if you have ideas/pairings/situations or anything. So, like, the three R's I guess? Anyway, hope you're all having a wonderful day :)

* * *

The red alarm clock numbers read 3:35 as the alarm's incessant beeping pierced the silence of Atlanta's room.

Perhaps a weaker soul may have succumbed to the call of sleep, allowed the tantalising warmth of the blankets to tempt them.

But Atlanta was no weak soul, and she was on a mission today.

Victory was soon to be hers.

A whoosh of cool morning air drew shivers from her skin as Atlanta threw off her blankets and forced herself to stand. She half tripped her own feet as she stumbled quickly toward the mirror, and Atlanta's vision was still fuzzy as she yanked a brush through her red hair.

She'd slept in her running clothes, complete with sports bra and socks. The outfit was a little crumpled, and Atlanta hastily brushed herself down with one hand whilst still yanking a comb through her hair with the other. The clock read 3:36 as Atlanta's feet were roughly shoved into already laced-up running shoes.

There was simply no way Atlanta would be beaten this time.

Atlanta stumbled down the carpeted stairs, grabbing the handrail as she propelled her body towards the kitchen.

"Oh yea, victory, here I come!" Atlanta whispered to herself as she flew into the kitchen which was still dim with night.

Dim, but even in the darkness Atlanta could see the purple haired figure sitting lazily.

And the frustrating smirk on Archie's face.

"How, how in Zeus-"

"A magician never reveals his secrets, Atlanta."

Atlanta rubbed her eyes, not sure that she could really believe what she saw.

"Are you telling me that I woke up at 3 in the morning, and I still didn't beat you? Do you even sleep?!"

"Yea!" Archie answered happily. "I'm just clever about it!"

"Well, I still reckon you're a vampire…" Atlanta muttered grumpily, walking towards the front door. "And I suppose you've already eaten before I got down here, right?"

"Yup."

"Ugh!" Atlanta moaned. She yanked the door open tiredly, frowning at the darkness outside as she let Archie out first. "I got up this early, and it was all for nothing!"

"Hey, it wasn't totally useless." Archie countered, smirking as Atlanta began to lock the door.

"Oh yea? What am I gonna do at 4 in the morning?" She demanded, pulling her key out of the lock.

"Well, you got to be reminded about how far superior I am."

"Why you-" Atlanta looked up, fuming, only to realise that Archie had planned this rather carefully;

He had already started running.

Atlanta couldn't help but smile as she gave chase.

* * *

This has been a little headcanon of mine- I'm not really sure where it came from, but it makes me smile. A lot. I like the idea of Atlanta and Archie going for runs together every now and again, and I love the idea that they race each other even just to get ready, and will go to ridiculous lengths to win. It's funny: I've always been a hardcore JT shipper, but the more AA I write, the more it grows on me. AA just seems more... real?

Then again, I'm probably over thinking it. Happens a lot.


	60. Perfection

So, hey, I'm still here! The past four weeks or so, I've been in the midst of my FINAL FINAL FINAL exams that I've been working towards for the best part of two years, so writing has definitely been on the backburner- I've still got one to go, but then I am _free as a bean!_ And I'll have all summer, no school and plenty of fun things (including writing) to get stuck into, so hopefully you'll hear more from me then.

And, when I say writing... I am thinking I might try writing multi-chapter fics. It's been at the back of my mind for a while. Multi-chapter would mean a lot more work than drabble, because I would want to plan quite a lot: everything from the plot to the more minute things, like whether I want to focus on one central protagonist or go the whole hog and write it about all 7 teenagers. And then there's deciding if I want to try action or keep it more drama-style, or if I want a really thematic, emotional, romantic piece... Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that multi-chapter is big and scary and time consuming, but I definitely want to give it a crack. And soon -in a week- I will really be able to try that. So, nollsthology, thank you so much for requesting, and I will see what happens ;)

Which brings me to my round of thank you's to every one of my reviewers- merdisney, nollsthology and dinogeek, you guys are so rad! With the whole "multi-chapter" thing, I want your opinions: is there any particular drabble in this series that you would like to see expanded on in multi-chapter form?

And, Neonz: Stone the crows, I thought fair dinkum when I saw your reviews, it was so long I thought this sheila's never gonna stop! There I was sittin' in my flanno giving the old Aussie salute when-

Okay, kidding, kidding. Thank you for your reviews, they were actually very helpful- I've since looked at the blog you mentioned, and I'll work on my punctuation ;) I actually didn't realise Canadians don't say "How are you going?" though? And I'll have to re-spell "yea"... I'm not sure if that's an Australian thing too or just a typing error on my part.

Anyway, although I can safely say I haven't been writing much at all these past 6 weeks, I _do_ have this piece to offer. So, enjoy, review, and happy Halloween!

* * *

The darkening gym echoed with Atlanta's laboured breaths as she sat on the floor, her angry fingers probing her foot.

"10 months…" Atlanta's voice was frustrated. Mutinous. Angry. "10 months of this pain, and it still hasn't gone away."

She'd been pounding along the track when it began to ache again. When the ridiculously familiar throb began in her foot. This injury was like getting a song stuck in your head: it haunted Atlanta. It refused to leave.

Every time she ran, pain chased her.

Today it overtook her.

_It's been 10 months now, why won't this injury leave?_

_Every time I start training again, the ache comes back. It's like it's permanent._

_Will I ever actually run without pain?_

"No." Atlanta spat the word out loud, as if voicing the word gave it power.

_I'll get over this. It'll be fine. I'm tough._

Atlanta's stream of determined thought was torn by gentle footsteps at the edge of the gym. Atlanta leapt up quickly, trying to walk normally as she hurried over to the bench. Atlanta was grabbing her gym bag as Theresa's familiar form wandered nimbly into the gym. Green eyes settled confusedly on Atlanta's anxious frame.

"Atlanta, hey. Did you just finish training?"

"Uh, yeah. Another tough session over with." Atlanta tried to muster the enthusiastic, gutsy tone that always convinced the guys.

It didn't work: suspicion flickered across Theresa's eyes. Perhaps the macho tone was a guy thing.

"It's your foot, isn't it?"

_Should I lie? She'll probably tell Jay. And if Jay knows, he'll tell people… Hera, Athena, maybe even Archie-_

"Yeah."

The honest word slipped out of Atlanta's mouth, interrupting her thread of internal debate. Theresa's features softened upon hearing Atlanta's words.

"Hasn't it been like 8 months now?"

"10." Atlanta's eyes stared determinedly down. A cruel red blush coloured her cheeks.

"You said the pain was gone."

"Yeah, well, it… it wavered a bit…" Atlanta answered numbly. Uselessly.

Theresa grabbed her hand, yanking Atlanta towards the door.

"Hey, hey what-"

"I'm taking you to see Athena. Now."

Atlanta yanked her arm away.

"Uh, no way. She'll tell everyone."

"Atlanta, you've got to let yourself recover."

Atlanta bit her cheek. Words -furious, sad, gloomy, quiet- bubbled behind her lips. Like an insolent toddler.

"Theresa, I can't just stop. I won't. I'm the best in the team right now. I just beat Archie at combat, and Athena said she thinks I'll be the best hunter she's ever seen if I get a few more months of training in. I- I can't let go of this." Atlanta's monologue was spat into an awkward silence, and Theresa's hand had re-gripped Atlanta's wrist. Their eyes refused to meet.

But Theresa seemed to know that Atlanta had more to say.

More words were spat into the almost-empty gym, from a part of herself Atlanta didn't know existed.

"And all the guys will say I'm a wimp, or weak, or a dead weight. I can't let them believe I couldn't take it."

Theresa gazed at Atlanta with a sense of quiet familiarity.

"Come on Atlanta, you know better than to say that. You've just gotta rest a bit. We're a team."

"Yeah but…" Atlanta bit her lip, "I'm not meant to have injuries. Everyone thinks I'm the fastest girl around. Person, I mean. I'm not supposed to need help. I'm not meant to be weak."

Now it was Theresa's turn to sigh. Her grip slackened on Atlanta's wrist. Atlanta was breathing more easily now, and she felt safe to meet Theresa's eyes.

"I'm sorry. I've just dumped this all on you. I can't believe I did that, I'm sure you've got plenty to worry about-"

"Atlanta, it's okay. Really." Theresa's voice was firm now. Certain.

Atlanta nodded, letting out a deep sigh. With it, the tension and fear of the past months seemed to seep out.

"But you really need to see Athena. Or Chiron…"

"I know." Atlanta smiled softly, before continuing with a meek sort of guilt; "Will you come with me?"

Theresa grinned, relief tempering her concern.

"Of course. I'm sure _they'll _cope with the fact that you're not perfect."

Atlanta gave a meek grimace as she followed Theresa out of the gym.

Because maybe it was time Atlanta accepted that too.


	61. Dream

I've been going through my word document where I write all my fanfic (I think it's about 150 pages now... if only I could actually write a novel that long!) and I keep finding older pieces that went into the "Maybe Publish Later" pile that -funnily enough- never did get published. The following piece is one of those!

Also, TheSilverNightShade: I sent you a few reviews on your latest pieces, but I don't know if they posted? So I sent them to you as a personal message, hope they got there :)

Anyway, read, review and have a lovely day!

* * *

"How come it's our job to fight _their_ battle?!" Theresa demanded, incensed and angry. "How come we're just pawns in _their_ immortal lives? They've got all of eternity to fight, and yet we have to waste our few years of life fighting their war?!"

"Theresa, I… I kinda thought you were over this… Come on, you've got to calm down…" Jay offered, as they walked home through the park.

Theresa gave an unfamiliar laugh: cold, mirthless. "Over it? Just because I'm not glowing purple and stealing their powers anymore? Maybe I'm just better at hiding it." Theresa countered, her eyes meeting Jay's with a glare that stung of danger. "Maybe I know better than to be obvious about it."

"W-what do you mean?"

Something seemed to snap in Theresa at that moment.

"I mean that their power is _mine_."

Theresa's teeth flashed with an eerie smile as the trees around them exploded. The green and blue hues of the park descended into the orange-red colour scheme of an inferno that began to engulf everything. Jay found himself coughing, retching, as he reached for Theresa.

"Theresa?!" He sputtered, barely able to see for the smoke.

"Up here…" The voice wasn't Theresa's, but Cronus's- Jay realised it was a trap, all a terrible trap…

Jay had never been so happy in his life to open his eyes and see the ceiling of his bedroom.

His breath rushed in and out of his lungs with a residual hysteria from the dream. His eyes hungrily devoured the familiar details of his room: the desk littered with ancient Greek texts, the plain white walls and his kinda-messy-but-not-really pile of clothes. Jay rubbed his eyes with the base of his hands.

_I've never been so grateful for reality in my life…_

And yet, Jay felt the need to check on her.

* * *

His hand had barely made a sound when the door opened. As if she'd been waiting.

_"Hey…"_

_"Hey."_

His own tiredness and insomnia was mirrored in her exhausted eyes. An overlarge pink t-shirt and grey pyjama pants draped her slender frame, her red hair hanging in tousled strands. She rubbed her eyes as if she'd just been woken up, yet Jay had a feeling that despite the late hour, she couldn't sleep. It was a feeling he was familiar with.

She stood with the door open, surveying him.

"I guess you wanna come in?"

"Yeah."

She sat down on her bed, somewhat lost in thought. Jay hovered by the bed, broad shoulders slumping.

Jay swallowed, his eyes downcast as he tried not to think back to his nightmare. "So, uh, you're feeling okay?"

Theresa looked to Jay, smiling at him gently with her glazed eyes. "Yeah. I-…" Theresa seemed to swallow her words. "No, everything's going back to normal."

_Liar._

"You're sure?"

Theresa's eyes flashed; a deer caught in headlights. "Well, I… do you ever feel like you're just a pawn in Hera's game? Like, maybe, it's not fair that we're giving up our lives for the gods? I mean, they're _immortal_. Can't they fight their own battles?"

Jay's fist clenched behind him, his eyes suddenly downcast.

_Just a dream_, he reminded himself.


	62. Three Wise Pranksters

So, I did indeed receive a request for more Herry, Neil and Odie- and I admit, this drabble series is definitely lacking them! Nonetheless, here they are :)

Also, I published my first multi-chapter piece, but... I'm not sure how I feel about it. Please review, and tell me what you think- I can't decide if I want to take it back and give it a make-over before continuing! It's just hard because the concept -aftermath of ep 52- is one I'm so in love with, it's really quite hard to write about just one event. I love ruminating on the different possibilities! Writing just _one_ multi-chapter on it is like trying to choose one reality out of infinite alternate universes- quite literally. So, yeah, I may or may not take it back for some editing before it gets properly continued!

Anyway, please read, review and have a lovely day :)

* * *

Odie's thumb flicked the television off, and began speaking before Neil and Herry could voice their dismay.

"You know what? Archie and Jay always get the action. I think it's our turn to try something."

"Hey, I get plenty of-" Herry began, only to be shushed by Neil.

"Herry, don't say anything. This is your chance to be on the right side of a prank."

Herry bit his lip, willing to listen.

For now.

Odie gave Herry a reproachful look before continuing.

"As I was saying, we're the perfect trio: smart, strong AND lucky. I say it's time we get some action of our own."

"What, you wanna go fight monsters? Why?" Herry demanded, still confused. Neil and Odie shared a frustrated look. Neil responded.

"No, we want to prank Jay and Archie. For fun."

"Why not the girls as well?"

Odie sighed dramatically, then continued. "Herry, really. Theresa's psychic, and Atlanta's a hunter. They'll probably team up and beat us for revenge. They're too cunning. We have to go for safer targets. So, are you in?"

Herry grinned now, rubbing his hands together. "I'm your man."

Odie winked at Neil.

"I told you he'd be keen."

* * *

The trio were engulfed in darkness as Herry, Neil and Odie delicately set the mouse traps on the floor, eyes purple with fatigue.

"This better be worth it." Herry grumbled, focussing intently in the darkness.

"I'm the one missing my beauty sleep!" Neil protested squeakily, only to be shushed by Odie.

"All set." Odie hissed. "Neil, get into position."

"Why do I have to chase him anyway?"

"Because you're so lucky, you won't hit the traps."

"Yeah, because being lucky has always been a good thing on this team."

Herry rolled his eyes as he spoke.

"Neil, do you wanna make this prank work or not?"

"Okay, okay. Fine then, Mr Bossy."

A groan came from Archie's bed as he stirred.

"Quick!" Odie hissed. Herry and Odie retreated to the side of the room, and Neil opposite the door. A thumbs up passed between the trio. Odie nudged Herry- the agreed signal.

Herry reached under the bed delicately, and shook the bed frame. Slowly, at first.

Then more quickly.

"Hey, hey what are you- WHAT, WHAT?!" Archie passed through varying stages of waking up within split seconds, limbs flailing as he struggled to remain on the bed as Herry shook harder and harder. Up and down too now. Blankets and legs bounced up and down.

"HEY, WHAT THE-"

And then, Archie landed on the floor.

And the mouse traps snapped.

"Neil!" Odie whispered furiously. "Now!"

As the tiny _snap_ of mousetraps echoed in the darkness accompanied by Archie's yelps, Neil emerged, wearing his scream mask.

"I am the ever-scary, every terrifying scream!" Neil yelled, in his high pitched, utterly-Neil voice. Herry and Odie face-palmed.

"Didn't we teach him to make his voice lower?"

Now Archie was gaining some sense, and had stopped trying to move across the mouse-trapped floor. Jay's running footsteps pelted into the room and the light flicked on.

Archie was illuminated now: trying to prize a mouse trap off a red and swollen finger, amidst a sea of traps, many pegged to his clothes. Looking, of course, extremely unhappy.

Jay stood in the doorway, door held open as he surveyed the scene with dismay.

"You guys have _got_ to grow up. You're endangering-"

But Jay was in perfect position, so Odie pulled the loose string connected to the doorknob for all his life was worth. The door slammed shut, sending Jay sprawling into the sea of mouse traps.

A resounding wave of _snap snap snap_ rose up as each trap clicked shut on skin.

"AH, AH, HEY!"

More snaps, as Jay tried to get up.

"Yee-ouch!"

Herry and Odie were snickering uncontrollably now, and even Neil couldn't help but smile meekly in light of their handiwork. Jay pouted angrily as he realised he had been effectively pranked.

"Now, if you guys put half the energy you put into pranking into training, I wouldn't have to worry about some crazy Greek god every other day…" Jay muttered, glaring at his team mates.

"Oh, grow _up_ you guys." Archie added mutinously.

"And did you see, when Archie like LEAPT out of bed, and onto the mouse traps?!" Herry said, trying to contain his laughter. Neil and Odie joined in, cracking up now.

"Or, or the look on Jay's face when you pulled the door shut?!"

More guffaws of laughter.

Jay and Archie shared an irate look before Jay made to get up.

Another mouse trap went off, and Jay's cry of "Ow!" set another round of laughter.

"Mature, guys. Real funny."

But the laughter wouldn't stop for a while yet.

The era of the prank kings had just begun.


	63. Restless

Well, hi!

As per usual, big thanks to my lovely reviewers, Nollsthology and Merdisney! You guys keep me writing ;)

This drabble is actually an excerpt from a multi-chapter piece that's been sitting at the back of my mind for months and months now. I haven't really gotten very far with it in terms of ever drafting a plot or anything, but there's a million little fragments of it all over my word document where I keep all my fanfiction. As for "Aftermath", I'm thinking I might delete it and re-start. I'm happy with what I've written, but... I think I need to write it all, _then_ publish it perhaps. It just needs more development, more planning...

And apologies for not writing much lately- my 18th birthday is tomorrow (!) and I've been busy organising my party! It's on Friday the 13th, so of course I had to have a themed party and everything. I'm so keen: and Friday the 13th is my lucky day. All the birthdays I've had on that date have been so wonderful, and actually very lucky. So, please read, review and enjoy!

* * *

Sympathy is the art and sport of the country folk. It runs hand in hand with hospitality as the one true quality expected of any good housewife.

This feature of country life bloomed after the death of Theresa's mother.

People from all corners of town -Mrs Andrews from the grocer, Mrs Stuart -the chaplain's wife-, old Mrs Higgins who had her own knitting business, even the doctor's wife Mrs Jones- passed through Theresa's home. The kitchen, once filled by her mother's sunny presence, was never empty: kind smiles and crinkled eyes were always inhabiting the small space. Gentle words of sorrow were uttered for weeks. Plates of cookies, soups, cakes, scones; every housewife in town brought a meal in "to help" after Theresa's mother's death. It was assumed -without question- that her father would not be able to cook meals.

After all, the country is 20 years behind the city.

And for a little while, the country town's inhabitants' kindness was enough white noise for Theresa to survive. To ignore everything. Her kitchen remained a place of vitality, as long as she slept in past 10am (that was when people began to arrive, and occupied the house) and her days were filled up. School, after school play dates, hours spent peddalling the dirt roads of the town's outskirts, pony club: Theresa's life remained busy and bustling, bursting with distractions. Her mother's absence was not noticed.

Not at first.

But as the weeks went on, the plates of cookies began to dwindle. Lunchtimes passed when no one was in the kitchen, offering sunny words of kindness. Mothers stopped inviting Theresa over for dinner.

And summer break arrived.

When the bowls of soup eventually stopped, Theresa had to ask her father to take her shopping for food. That was always her mother's job before.

When the stream of visitors to the home trickled and thinned, Theresa had to eat lunch on her own. The kitchen did not seem as sunny and bright as it usually did. The home began to feel more like an empty shell: the difference between "house" and "home" became apparent to Theresa.

When school ended and summer began, suddenly there were 6 more hours in the day, and no mother to fill them up.

On that first day in the Brownstone, Theresa had grabbed the nunchucks and twirled them with the expertise gleaned from years of perfectionism. Archie had asked where she had learnt the skills.

Theresa had answered that _while all the other rich girls were bored, I… was restless._

What Theresa didn't mention was why she was restless.

Or the silence she was trying to escape.


	64. Neil's Plan

Well, hey there!

So, I've been slightly absent lately... and the reason is... I DISCOVERED FAIRY TAIL. I think it's my all time favourite anime. (and I love Gray!). So, uh, I haven't been writing a whole lot at all. I've kind of been busy binge watching anime and occasionally exiting the house to exercise/see people/babysit. I've done patches of writing, but not a whole lot. But hey- I just finished my HSC. I figure I've earned a break, even if that break involves watching 100 episodes in one week. And I'm sure my obsession will burn out soon, right? Right?

Anyway, here I am, updating! So, thank you as always to every wonderful reviewer, and please keep it up ;) (and keep writing!)

* * *

"Ugh, will they _ever_ get together?!" Theresa fumed, as she, Jay, Neil, Odie and Herry sat in the library at the round table.

"I don't know, you're the psychic one." Neil answered slyly, only to earn himself a murderous stare from Theresa.

"Yeah, Theresa, can you predict if Archie and Atlanta are going to get together?" Odie asked, suddenly intrigued. "I'd sure like to know if they're ever going to work it out between them."

Theresa gave Odie a blunt look.

"They're way too variable for me to make a prediction about. Trust me, I don't think even fate knows what they're going to do in the end."

"Well hey, why don't we give fate a hand then?" Neil suggested, grinning with his trademark smile. This only meant one thing: Neil had an idea. And in all likelihood, it was a very, _very_ bad one. Everyone groaned, ready to tell Neil exactly what he should do with his idea... except that Jay spoke up.

"You know what? Let's give Neil a go. I wanna see what he's got to say."

_10 minutes later_

"That's a terrible idea, they'll hate us!" Herry hissed, having heard the extent of Neil's plans. "I'm out."

"Me too."

"And me."

"And me!"

"Fine then." Neil huffed, "I'll go ahead with it myself. At least I'm lucky enough to make up for you guys flaking out on my brilliant plan."

And with that, Neil stood up proudly, and marched forth from the library: leaving his books behind, as per usual.

"And I'm meant to carry his books for him again, right?" Herry moaned, already picking them up. "Well, I'm off, I'll see you guys back home."

"Jay, I trust your decision making and all, but _why_ did you even think Neil would actually have a good idea?" Odie asked, piling his books up.

"I figured we ought to give him a chance. He is a member of the team."

"Yeah, but his ideas are terrible! You heard that last one, it'll just annoy the living daylights out of those two!" Theresa complained.

Jay sighed. "Yeah, I have to be honest, he really outdid himself in terms of 'bad' this time."

* * *

Ares' moustache bristled with anticipation as the team stood in a circle, awaiting their training plans for the day.

"Now then, all able-bodied people are to move first to the punching bags today. I want to work on those punches- you're getting notoriously sloppy, so today we'll be working on getting those back up to their usual standard." His chest was puffed and stout, and Atlanta couldn't help but wonder if it would ever deflate.

"After the punching bags, we'll move on to machines, and then perhaps in pairs- _if_ I think you're good enough."

Ares eyeballed Neil at that point.

"Well, team, what are you waiting for? Hop to it!"

He blew his whistle, just for good measure.

Atlanta followed the team over, feeling thoroughly frustrated with herself. Injuries really were the bane of the athlete's existence: and Atlanta still had weeks of this remaining.

"Oh, Atlanta…" Neil began, with his I've-got-a-terrible-joke-coming voice. The rest of the team realised that Neil's plan was now beginning: and promptly hurried up, hoping to avoid Neil's antics. Atlanta, oblivious, simply forced herself to respond to Neil.

"What, Neil?" Her personal storm cloud was heating up, but Neil didn't seem to mind.

"So, you've hurt your foot, right?"

_Yes, you complete dingbat, I don't know what size rock you've been living under, but…_

"Yes, Neil." She was trying to be civil.

"Well, couldn't you say you've got a bit of an _Achilles heel?_" Neil asked with a self-assured grin.

"Look, technically it's not my heel…"

"An ACHILLES heel?"

A faceplam came from one of the heroes.

Neil was now madly gesticulating towards Archie, who was likely doing his best to seem impervious.

"ACHILLES…"

The gestures grew wilder.

"Okay, yes, I get the hint, now can you just please…"

Atlanta trailed off under Neil's intense gestures, and repeated, drawn out declaration of "Achilles…"

"You know, like ARCHIE'S heel…"

_Don't say anything, don't snap, don't…_

"I mean, maybe if you've got that in common, you should even consider-"

"Neil!" Atlanta hissed warningly, noticing the pink tips to Archie's ears. "Don't. Even. Start."

"Well, I'm just saying, it's your _Achilles_ heel, and Archie is related to Achilles, and-"

"Neil, get to work! Now!"

Ares boomed, cutting the blonde off.

"But, like, Ach-"

Ares' whistle blew, and his face was a deep beetroot red.

Neil was in for it.

And, Atlanta couldn't help but feel just a tad thankful for Ares' intervention.

* * *

Archie wandered into the living room, carrying a bunch of grapes- Athena had just done the groceries. Atlanta lay sprawled happily on the couch, icing her foot as per usual.

"Hey, Arch, can I have some grapes?"

"Come and get it."

Atlanta huffed, but got ready to make her surprise attack: cripple or no cripple, she wasn't letting Archie win.

But she didn't count on Neil's intervention. She really needed to learn to watch out for the guy.

"Archie, did you say those were grapes?" Neil asked, poking his head into the living room with his trademark grin.

"Yeah…" Archie answered warily, cupping a protective hand over the bowl. "What's it to you?"

"Well, you see, grapes are kinda like raisins-"

"Neil, NO." Atlanta warned, sending her death stare. She'd seen the pun coming. "Anyway, raisins are like dried up grapes. Totally different."

Neil huffed, feeling affronted.

"Well, anyway, raisins are like grapes, and I'm pretty sure Atlanta doesn't like raisins…"

"Neil, no, please."

"So, you shouldn't offer her a raisin, you oughta say-"

"NEIL!"

Neil grinned mischievously, as Archie simply watched with confusion. Eventually, he had to ask.

"Fine. What should I say, Neil?"

Atlanta covered her eyes, burning with frustration.

"Arch, please, don't ask. He's been sitting on this one all day…"

Neil's grin was unstoppable now.

"Well, Archie, you could say: 'If not a raisin, how 'bout a date then?"

"Told you so." Atlanta hissed through blushing cheeks.

But Archie was her mirror image.

* * *

Jay, Theresa and Odie stood nestled in the foliage, watching as Archie and Atlanta were followed around by Neil once more. It had been a long week, and one filled with pick up line puns, courtesy of Neil's "wing-manning", which he had assured the team was a no-fail tactic. Sure, everyone wanted to see the two dating: but Neil's "plan" was definitely not the way to go about it. Not that Neil would give up on it, of course.

"They're going to kill him soon." Theresa declared, watching tiredly as Odie glanced through the -possibly unnecessary- binoculars.

"Wait, are you serious? Did you have a vision?" Jay asked, seized by a sudden urgency.

"No, but there's no way Atlanta will put up with that for much longer."

"Oh, guys, he going for another punchline." Odie announced tiredly, as cries of _Orange you ever going to date?_ carried across to the courtyard. The three teens groaned in unison.

"Seriously? He's up to fruit related jokes now?"

_Oh, she's the apple of your eye…_

Jay smiled grimly. "Well, he's exhausted just about every other pun avenue. I'm pretty sure he'll move on to Taylor Swift songs next."

_You're like two peas in a pod…_

"Seriously? You think he'd sink that low?" Odie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's gotta get beaten up by one of them soon. I can't believe they've held on for this long."

_Hey, Archie, are you a banana? Because I think Atlanta finds you a-peeling!_

Even Theresa groaned from afar at that one.

"This is it. Look, Archie's going in for a punch."

"Yeah, but he's so lucky, he'll dodge it." Odie sighed.

"Yep, he's dodged it." Theresa confirmed, sighing. "Damn, I needed him to learn a lesson."

Instead, they saw Neil gearing up for yet another pun.

"Wow, just because you _lime_ her, doesn't mean you have to be so _sour_ about it!" Neil's voice wafted back to the heroes.

Their collective face-palm very nearly gave away their position.


	65. Dawn Tea Party

Well, hey there!

I'm sorry I haven't been updating much; you see, I got hooked on an anime called Fairy Tail (182 eps down!) and completely and utterly obsessed with it. And the thing is that when I get obsessed with something... there's literally no space in my brain for anything else, so I found I just had almost no creative juices for writing. The good thing is, the obsession is waning a lil bit and so I've started again with fanfiction writing (yayyyyy!). Anyway, life has been very wonderful at this end now that the HSC is over (and my marks won't come back for 2.5 more weeks, phew!), and I even saw Taylor Swift live three days ago! She was amazing!

But, I'll stop waffling for now and say a big thank you to all my reviewers, because you all mean the world to me! Keep it up, and keep writing yourselves! I'm always so happy to see this little fandom updated :) So, enjoy!

* * *

The kitchen was bleak with the pale early morning moonlight, a translucent shade that matched Theresa's pallor. Her green eyes had lost their sparkle: they'd gone from emeralds to a misty, grim hue similar to jade.

"Have you been here all night?"

She'd heard his familiar _clap-creak_ steps coming down the hallway already, and the purple hair was only confirmation. Theresa wasn't surprised by it though: she'd sensed his presence when he'd first left his bedroom. She could feel everyone in the Brownstone: a diverse bunch of insomniacs and heavy sleepers. It had calmed her down to attune herself to their rhythms.

"Not all night. I woke up and couldn't sleep. I just... have a bad feeling about this weekend."

"Uh, sure then…" Archie responded, shuffling over to the pantry in search of food. "Well, if it was just a bad dream I guess you'll get back to sleep soon, right? At least you're not like me, stuck up late with homework."

Theresa's eyes were still inanimate, but her mouth formed a tiny smile.

"Homework? Last time I checked, writing poetry wasn't your homework."

Archie bit his lip. _Damn, I should have realised she'd know about that. _He continued rifling through the pantry, refusing to look her way now. Archie had a quiet fear about meeting Theresa's eyes: as if she might look too far in. Being around Theresa always made Archie feel like he was being watched; like his emotions were written on his chest. It made his blood feel just a tiny bit colder than usual; not so much chilly as uncomfortable.

"Yeah, well, maybe you ought to focus those powers on something that matters. Or even better, get some sleep instead of reading minds all the time."

Archie's voice had a brittle edge now, and his eyes had hardened again as he focused explicitly on the cupboard, trying to appear busy.

"You really think I _chose_ to wake up with another premonition? You think I _like_ seeing a future when bad things happen? How naive are you?"

"Sheesh, it was just a bad dream! Everyone has them!" Archie bit back, his eyes suddenly shifting guiltily to his feet. His fist clenched with refusal: Archie was sick of feeling so _vulnerable_ with her. "You've really earned the nickname of Drama Queen, you know. It's not like you're the only one who has worries that keep you up at night." He added, grabbing a muesli bar and heading for the door, still refusing to look her way. Theresa hadn't moved: her hands were still clasped around the mug.

And her eyes seared with anger as the door slammed shut in front of Archie.

"Oh, right, slam the door in my face. Real mature."

"Archie, just tell me something." Her voice was deceptively calm and smooth: Archie felt like a sailor trapped at sea without any winds to carry him. "Just one thing."

"What?"

"When you're dead anxious about something and you can't sleep, what do you tell yourself to help calm down?"

Her voice was still high and smooth, but tinged with frustration now.

"Well," Archie began, still furious himself, "I suppose I remind myself that I'm probably just, I don't know, _being silly_, and that I need to stop worrying about everything because it'll probably be _just fine_ anyway. And then I'd build a bridge and get over it."

She turned to face him fully now, and malice seemed to pulse gently within her- from her hand which now tightly gripped the chair to her tired, messy hair.

"So, you just tell yourself that everything will be fine, right? That you're wrong, and just worrying too much."

"Uh, yeah. Now can you open this door for me?"

Her gaze was glassy and unrelenting.

"Just think about this, Archie. What if you couldn't tell yourself you were just worrying too much, because you're psychic and you know your worries will come true? How do you tell yourself that everything will be fine when you _know_ it won't be?"

For a moment, silence settled upon the kitchen: a tenuous blend of two people frustrated by each other's steadfast point of view.

"I can't just _let go_ of my fears when I know they'll become reality. Have you ever thought about it that way, Archie?"

Her voice did something Archie never expected: it cracked on his name. Just a little, but enough to sever the irate air between them.

"What, no more harping on about me being a Drama Queen? No more stupid jokes about fortune telling?" Theresa's eyes were alight now, and she was determined to ignore the rising lump in her throat and heat behind her eyes.

"The door's not locked. I haven't mastered that part yet. Too many bolts." She added, in a softer voice now. "You might as well go, before my presence annoys you any more."

Archie sighed now, turning back to her.

"What?" It was Theresa's turn to get defensive. "You can go, it's fine. I overreacted."

"It's just… that actually really sucks."

"You think?"

Her tone was meant to be cynical, but it was coloured with a quiet fear. A part of Archie forced him to sit down beside her, taking in her appearance for the first time: crumpled pyjamas, tousled hair and pale, sickly hands. Without her usual calm, bubbly persona, Theresa seemed… softer. Paler. More brittle.

More like Archie, really.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" His voice was gentle for once, and it had its own warmth -not the surefire, determined warmth that Jay had, but something different. More subtle, really. Rarer.

"Anything. Just… I just need a distraction."

The minutes of the morning crawled by as the air was filled with the scent of tea and quiet voices. They discussed nothing and everything: banal subjects from school to what Ares was like as a mentor, a conversation light and simple enough to wash over the pair's tired eyes. The sun had begun her trek across the sky, and her steps had coloured it a faint orange when Archie finally stood up.

"I've kept you here all morning. Sorry."

"It's fine, really." Archie responded, smiling. "It's not like I was making anything worth reading anyway. Writer's block. I needed a break, although I should go for my run now."

"Well, I guess you can write about the Drama Queen now, and all her adventures. You're not going to still call me that, right?"

"No, you're still a Drama Queen." Archie answered, but the term seemed kinder now. He put his mug in the sink, and began to leave.

"At least I'm a queen of something." Theresa quipped, smiling a little herself. "You better get running, or else Atlanta might catch you."

"Nah, she's got no chance. Way too slow for me." Archie answered, as his steps began to recede. "She's really gotta pick up her game these days."

The front door clicked shut, and Theresa was alone again.

And yet despite the silence, a kind of warm, bubbly feeling remained with Theresa, and held her lips in a delicate smile she hadn't realised she was wearing.

* * *

Quick note: I actually wrote this as a JT piece originally, but it just wasn't coming together neatly. And then I decided to see what happened when I threw Archie in... and I think I kinda like it. Anyway, tell me what you think ;)


	66. Power

Well hi!

I know I haven't been posting a whole lot lately... (looks away sheepishly)... I've just been very low on writing juice. It happens, you know? Anyway, lots of stuff has happened, including getting my ATAR (which is the Australian sort of exit-mark for high school, and determines which universities and things) back- I've been working towards it for two years, only to fall 0.05 short of my goal! _ But despite that and other mishaps, I'm still happy :) So, here's a little drabble! Please read, review, etc!

* * *

After the beach incident, the only word Theresa seemed capable of saying was "sorry".

"I'm so sorry Poseidon, I can't believe I did that."

"Zeus, can I ever apologise enough?"

"I can't even imagine myself doing that Hera, I'm so, so sorry."

"Miss Persephone, I just… I can't believe I let myself ever do something like that."

"Jay, I… I don't even know what words can explain how sorry I am."

"It's okay." Jay offered, his warm brown eyes leaking a certain forgiveness that Theresa wished she could offer herself. "I mean, it's not like I've never been stressed before." The joke was well-intended, but Theresa's resounding laugh was forced.

And followed by yet another apology.

"Theresa." Jay demanded finally, gently clasping her shoulders and looking her in the eye. "It's fine. You just got pushed too far. You can stop apologising for being stressed. I don't think there's anyone who hasn't forgiven you for what happened, okay?"

Theresa just nodded, and promised Jay that she would stop apologising.

* * *

"You know it's time you forgave yourself, right?" Atlanta offered offhandedly, as the girls folded laundry. "Like, no one's mad. You gotta stop being so hard on yourself. I mean, they were the idiots that pushed you too far anyway." Atlanta didn't even look up as she gave her advice, instead racing to fold her washing in a manner so messy it could be Herry's. "Theresa?" Atlanta added, noting her friend had failed to respond. Theresa was staring blankly into the other washing machine, biting her lip.

"Sorry, I am listening." Theresa apologised, mentally cursing herself for apologising _again_. "Atlanta…" She began quietly, as if hoping Atlanta might not hear.

"Yea?" Atlanta was happily pouring in copious amounts of detergent.

"What if… what if it's, like, not about the stress?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like…" Theresa struggled for words. "Like, I don't feel guilty about letting everything get to me. I mean, with all that pressure on me, I was bound to crack. It's more about other stuff, like, I dunno…"

"Like what?"

Theresa lost her nerve. "I dunno." She smiled serenely at Atlanta. "Don't listen to me, I'm just tired and rambling. Anyway, I gotta go do some trigonometry study."

Atlanta gave her genuine smile. "Sure. But if you need to talk, I'm here."

"I know."

* * *

No, Theresa didn't feel guilty about letting the stress push her to the limit.

She felt guilty because despite everything, _she kinda liked the power_.

Her tiny, fragile hands had cupped the power to crush everything and everyone she ever knew. At the snap of her fingers, buildings could fall. One blink and storms would rise over the sea and strike wherever she fancied. One leering, toxic smile and her whole world could melt into flames. Her pale, brittle hands had glowed with a pure _power_ greater than anything ever possessed, that could obliterate even the King of Mount Olympus, Zeus himself.

Hera had told Jay that Theresa wasn't invincible. That she remained mortal.

But Theresa had held that force, that pure and wild aura, and she knew the truth.

_Nothing would stop her._

Except herself.


	67. Fury

Well, hey, here I am! I am sorry for the shortage of posting lately... For now, I've committed to writing more again, and I'll aim to post _at least_ once per week, if not more frequently. Thank you so so much Nollsthology, you've definitely motivated me to get up and keep writing! Anyway, hope everyone is having a very Merry Christmas xx

* * *

He didn't understand what he'd done to her, but by the time she was finished Jay had absolutely no doubt as to what he'd done wrong:

Everything.

"You always leave your textbooks in my car, and whenever I try to shout dinner you _always_ try to pay, like you know I've got plenty of money so you should to just let me cover it anyway, and I HATE the brand of deodorant you switched to last month, and-"

Jay, having been berated now for over 30 minutes, was losing any will to hold his tongue.

_Just let her get it out,_ Atlanta had advised wisely. _After all, this will only happen once a month. You've just gotta stick it out. _

And so, here Jay was, listening to Theresa's ranting as they walked home from school. The sky above was broiling and churning with the weight of an oncoming storm -_Pathetic fallacy?_ Jay wondered, before shaking his head and reminding himself to stop thinking about schoolwork. His hands were in his pockets, and his eyes -growing ever more glazed over- peered ahead, impervious to Theresa's venting.

"And, I haven't even mentioned the _most_ frustrating thing yet."

"Oh yeah?" Jay answered, barely registering her change in tone.

"It's that you never, EVER talk about anything except-"

"Cronus?" Jay added helpfully, hoping this was the finale.

He supposed he should have expected her to go out with a bang.

Upon hearing the God's name, Theresa's green eyes swivelled dangerously around to meet Jay's. He was glad she didn't have her nunchucks on her today- Jay might be a half-decent fighter, but an angry Theresa was surprisingly frightening with nunchucks.

"Yes." She answered with a sickly sweet sarcasm. "Cronus."

"Well, if that's all your ranting done for the moment, could we hurry up so we can avoid this storm?" Jay suggested cheerily, ignoring Theresa's incensed tone. Upon Jay's mention of a storm, Theresa peered up into the sky, huffing.

"Oh, and of course it had to storm today, when I'm walking home instead of driving, we'll probably get totally soaked knowing my luck-"

"Not if we hurry up…" Jay suggested optimistically. Theresa glared at him before beginning to stomp more quickly, and Jay found himself jogging to keep up.

"Well hey, you know they do say exercise is good for the mood, so maybe this is a good idea anyway." Jay said, trying to deflect any further ranting.

"Who said I'm in a bad mood?"

"Uh…"

"Just because ONE DAY I decided to admit I'm not 100% happy with things, and I get told I'm ranting?!"

"Well, it has been about 35 minutes now…"

"Jay, if I counted up all the minutes you've spent ranting at me because Cronus didn't do what you wanted or we didn't train often enough, I guarantee we'd have a lot more than 35 minutes!"

"Yeah, I guess that's fair. I mean, at least you confine it to one day of the month."

Of all the things Jay had said wrong in his life, he perhaps didn't appreciate just how far _wrong_ it was to say that.

Theresa's green eyes glared sharply, and the term _furious_ seemed perfectly apt to describe her.

"TIME OF THE MONTH?"

"Well, uh, Atlanta said…" Dammit, he shouldn't have mentioned Atlanta. Now they were both in for it.

"YOU THINK THIS RANT IS PERIOD-RELATED?"

"Um, no, not at all…"

"Don't lie!"

A thread of lightning crept down the sky behind Theresa, and her expression gained an eerie air as she glared at Jay.

Jay was lucky it started pouring because it gave him an excuse to run.

* * *

The sun was rising gently through the window, and the Brownstone's kitchen was filled with the soft, gentle morning light that peeked through fog.

"That was a pretty bad storm last night, huh?" Odie commented, peering out of the window. "We're lucky we didn't lose power."

"Yeah, you'd be pretty screwed without internet, right?" Archie teased, causing a frown from Odie.

"Archie, do you really think I wouldn't have a backup power source set up?"

Jay sat in his favourite armchair -he and Herry tended to fight over it, but luckily Herry liked sleeping in- surveying the morning scene as Theresa wandered in, looking perhaps a little sheepish.

"Hey, uh, sorry about yesterday…" She muttered to the room. "I guess I lost my cool a little bit."

"Yeah, I don't know who was the bigger storm- you or the actual one!" Archie teased, and Theresa just smiled tiredly.

"Eh, don't worry about it. We've seen worse." Odie offered, tapping away at his laptop now. "I mean, that time when Neil thought someone had stolen his mirror was pretty bad."

Theresa sighed. "Thanks for putting up with me, you guys."

She wandered over to Jay, feeling as if she owed him perhaps more of an apology.

"So, I am sorry you had to put up with all that ranting. Thanks."

Jay chuckled. "Part of the job, right?"

"I guess…"

"And anyway, it's not like I'm any better about it." Jay added, though it killed him to say it aloud. It was Theresa's turn to chuckle before answering.

"Maybe we're better suited to each other than we realise, hey?"


	68. Refusal

Well, hello from 2016, and a very happy new year to all my wonderful readers!

You'll be glad to hear that I have actually been trying to write more regularly and I've got a few pieces ready to publish- well, hopefully you're glad to hear it. I know I'm glad to say it. This is probably a good time to say thank you to everyone- readers, reviewers, writers- for an awesome 2015. And of course, thank you to my awesome reviewers for my last chapter: HoneyGoddess67 and Nollsthology! Anyway, happy reading ;)

* * *

If one's mind was held together by strands, Odie could just about feel his slowly snapping.

The blinds in his bedroom were still closed despite the afternoon hour, and the room was starved of light- sunshine made weak scars across the wall opposite the window in its attempt to penetrate the gloom. The room's choking pallor was broken as the door eased open, and Jay's head appeared past the door, eyes seeking Odie.

"Hey, Odie?"

Odie looked up from the frustrating physics problem he'd been solving and over the immense pile of textbooks to see Jay's eager eyes.

"Oh, hey Jay." Odie smiled tiredly, relieved to escape study for even a moment. "Training went okay then?"

"Wha- oh yeah, it went fine. Everyone's on target. Look Odie, I was just wondering if you could translate these? Neil stumbled across them on our last trip, and I thought they might tell us something about Cronus's next move."

Jay held up a thick wad of yellowing paper adorned with symbols, perforated with tears and blotted-out parts. It looked like some five hours worth of work at least, and as difficult as translation could get- and it wasn't as if Odie had five hours up his sleeve at the present time, let alone the patience for the job. Irritation simmered under Odie's skin as he spoke.

"Look, uh, with exams in a month, I kinda have to-" Odie began, his voice rough with frustration.

"Oh, of course! If you need to study, we can put this off till later. I might give it a go tonight anyway then…" Jay answered quickly, now taking in Odie's room- everything from the bed spattered with open textbooks to the many empty pens and snapped pencils littering the floor.

Jay's kindness caught Odie off guard, and he couldn't help but feel his anger ease.

"Thanks…" But, just looking at Jay's exhausted eyes told Odie that Jay wasn't in any better of a state than Odie, and a searing guilt settled in his stomach. Odie sighed as he felt his stubborn resolve grow firm.

"Actually, it's fine, I'll do it. I needed a break from physics anyway." Odie butted in quickly, determined now to find time to fit it in. He _was_ a part of the team, and he knew he owed it to everyone.

"You sure?"

Two pairs of eyes surveyed Odie's dilapidated, rushed room: one pair guiltily, the other compassionate.

"You really don't have to. I'm sure Theresa will do it if I ask."

"No, I can manage it." Odie forced his face to show some sort of positive energy -_just until Jay leaves, okay?_\- and reached for the yellowing papers.

"Thanks heaps, Odie. I mean it." Jay's expression was as sternly genuine as ever, and despite the workload ahead of him, Odie couldn't ignore that this felt like the right choice. Odie just nodded placidly, and tried to find a spare space to put the papers down in amongst the many textbooks and notes that crawled like weeds across his bedroom. In the end, he quickly shoved them in the bottom drawer, slamming it shut just as Jay left. Odie's door clicked shut, and his determined facade dropped with it.

His head fell into his hands, eyes round and aching with tiredness.

Odie didn't know when he'd find time to translate the papers.

He didn't know which language to start with, or when he would be able to get the textbooks to translate it, or if he even had space on his desk between all the ridiculous clutter of practice tests, notes and slideshows from classes missed. And he _definitely_ didn't know how he was meant to prepare for his final exams at the same time.

Contrary to popular belief, Odie had no answers whatsoever. If time was like oxygen, Odie was suffocating: every little thing Odie was meant to do, be it training or study or sleeping, all of it was squeezing him more tightly, forcing the precious air out of his lungs.

Odie simply couldn't do it all.

But, he had to.

Perhaps Odie would never be able to fight like Archie did, or read minds or lift trucks or out-run the fastest men alive. But given books and a pen, Odie at least had _something_, and he knew he would do everything he could for the six other people who had become the most important people in his life.

Odie didn't have solutions to this problem, and he didn't have endless answers.

But if one thing _was_ for sure, it was that he'd never let his team down.


	69. Farewell

Well, here I am- updating again! It's getting almost regular, wouldn't you say? Thank you heaps to my reviewers, esp HoneyGoddess67 -please keep writing and reviewing ;)

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**1\. Don't get attached to people.**

Archie only lived by a few rules in his life, and that was the first and foremost. He'd learned a long time ago that it was definitely the best way to survive in this world. Perhaps that was why he'd been so keen to run away when he'd first been recruited by the gods: something about the people he met on that first day told Archie that they were going to matter to him. A lot.

After all, Archie knew better than to let himself be so vulnerable. He _had_ learned from his mistakes.

And yet, here he was.

A pair of sneakers and a pair of feet in sandals dangled over the edge of the bridge, and far below them water gushed past. Pale white hands gripped the metal railing, but not from fear.

The wind hissed between the pair: one with red hair, the other purple. For once, the silence between them wasn't filled with declarations of challenges or waspish comments. Atlanta's warm brown eyes just patiently surveyed Archie with a fiery protectiveness, and Archie in turn let his gaze meditate over the river. Archie's breathing was returning to normal now, and his grey eyes had a calm about them.

"You starting to feel better yet?"

"Yeah."

The silence started to settle comfortably between them like snow falling gently, and Atlanta began to let herself enjoy the view. She supposed she wouldn't have that much longer to appreciate it.

"Atlanta?" His voice was sheepish, almost. As if he was about to ask her for a secret.

"Yeah?"

"How come you seem so collected about all of this?"

Atlanta just smiled grimly at the view, exhaling gently.

"You saw, I cried too."

"Yeah but… you're still okay."

_Unlike me_, Archie felt himself continuing.

"It's kind of like that quote, I guess." Atlanta began, still staring blankly out. "Where that guy says he's so lucky to have people who make saying goodbye so hard. I don't wanna leave all this behind, but I'm still glad I got to have this experience in the first place."

"How does that work? The goodbye sucks." Archie's voice was meant to sound relaxed, but it had an edge of bitterness on the last word that betrayed him.  
"Yeah, but… maybe it's kind of a gift of its own, that we're so attached to the people around us. I know I'm kinda grateful that you guys were such a big part of my life. Especially this cute purple-haired dork who kept trying to run away when we first met him."

Atlanta elbowed Archie as she mentioned him, and he couldn't help but smile -even just a little. Atlanta continued, buoyed by the flash of Archie's smile.

"And it's not like it's a final goodbye or anything. Skype exists."

"Yeah…"

"And facebook. And tumblr, and snapchat, and texting. And, you know, planes and cars too."

"And boats…"

"You hate boats!"

"I was just trying to continue the transport thing…"

Atlanta rolled her eyes, grinning at her kind-of-totally-beloved gawky boyfriend. She couldn't help but grab his hand.

"You know it'll be okay, right?"

Archie looked down, but nodded ever-so-slightly.

"And anyway, I don't see this as an ending." Atlanta continued, wearing the trademark daredevil grin that always made Archie feel warm inside. "More like the beginning of a new adventure."


	70. A Gift

Confession: I actually kind of love writing for Cronus. I love how pompous and arrogant he can be, how egotistical he is, and I LOVE that he's just plain old evil. Like, he doesn't even need a reason. I'd like to have that sort of firm conviction in my life!

Anyway, I've been trying to update regularly (once per week is my minimum) so if you haven't been here for a little while, I would recommend checking back the past few chapters to make sure you haven't missed one! Which reminds me: thank you so much HoneyGoddess57 for your lovely reviews, and a massive welcome to elusiveauthoress15- I haven't seen you before in the fandom, but thank you so much for the kind review! And as always, if you have requests or even just a pairing or scenario, or if you're thinking "Hmm, I need more humour/romance/drama in this" just tell me, and I will see what I can do ;)

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In between pursuing global domination and swatting pesky teenagers, Cronus did rather love to delve into the funny little world of mortals. Perhaps it was a human thing, but they had such _odd_ perspectives on so many things in their tiny lives. Yes, perhaps Cronus was irked by the existence of the teenagers: but they certainly had an intriguing world.

And Cronus -though he would never admit it- did so love to explore them. Of all the mortal inventions, the personal blog was certainly Cronus' favourite. There was simply no better way to gaze into the insular world of mortals, and they did write such interesting things about each other there. Many times it had struck Cronus that if his plans for world domination fell through, he could get a new day job with Valentine, as an assistant: connecting couples. The teens, Archie and Atlanta for instance- after reading their private blogs, Cronus couldn't possibly believe that they hadn't admitted their feelings to each other. Humans _were_ truly fascinating.

On this particular day though, Cronus was tired. Mortals loved to consider the joys of immortality -they certainly wrote enough novels and blog posts about such fanciful things-, but they seemed rather unaware of what it truly entailed. Between his treks across the online world of the teens, Cronus had stumbled across a particular quote: _There are two types of tiredness- one that is cured by sleep, and another that is a weariness of life._

Cronus did not envy mortals- they were below him. And yet, the quote had always haunted him a little. A form of tiredness that could be nursed by sleep? Cronus yearned for such a simple solution to his weariness. To lay down and close one's eyes, and to feel better for it? To one who would never experience death nor sleep, such a concept seemed almost, well, _magical_. As it was, each day seemed to weigh more heavily upon the god. Humans were flawed: they forgot memories and lived only a short period. But at least their struggles were never permanent, and their tiredness could be solved by merely lying in a bed.

Cronus loved to detest the teens, but deep down he considered himself a gift in disguise: for he intended to let them sleep eternally. They might have considered immortality a blessing, but Cronus knew better. Yes, defeating them was necessary to his own ambition, but it was also Cronus' intended final gift: to offer them the one thing he so craved.

It really was too bad that they didn't seem to quite see it that way.


	71. Recipe for Success

Hey there! This piece is actually in response to a request by the wonderful HoneyGoddess57- I hope you like it! Actually on that note- thanks for your message, I did receive it and I actually hadn't realised that there was an M rating function or that I had to change my settings to see those pieces! I've literally discovered another half of the fandom thanks to your message, so I'll work on getting a few reviews that way soon ;)

And, thank you for all the wonderful requests you guys sent me, I've taken them all down and begun brainstorming so hopefully you'll get to see some more stuff soon! The next chapters posted might not be requests (as in, it'll be some original stuff!), simply because I've also got some other stuff piled up and ready to go, but I promise that they're in the works! Thank you so so so much to everyone who requested and reviewed, including MO-5431, Elusiveauthoress15 and HoneyGoddess57, because you guys honestly keep it all going :)

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"Neil, STOP USING THAT MIRROR AND PAY ATTENTION!" Odie snapped, giving the blackboard a good hard _thwack_ with his ruler as he spoke.

"Odie, shhhh! You'll wake everyone up!" Herry hissed, noting the excess of noise made. He knew that Jay would come running the moment anything out of the ordinary arose, after all. That guy couldn't ignore trouble for the life of him.

"Okay, but Neil- Pay. Attention." Odie snapped, delivering his best death stare towards Neil. Neil shrugged, pocketing his mirror easily.

"Right." Odie began again, looking back to the board, "So. Trig calculus." He surveyed the Brownstone's basement- Herry, Archie and Neil occupied four rickety desks in the vast, grey basement foggy with dust, and fluorescent lights -strung up by Odie and Herry earlier- dotted the edge of the room. Even as he was watching, Herry's expression turned to one of fear and he put his hand up sheepishly.

"Yes, Herry?"

"Wait. Trig… AND calculus? How's this meant to work?"

Odie just gave a knowing smile, his eyes flitting happily to the board. "Trust me, it works like a dream. This stuff is better than any magic Hermes taught me about."

And so, the lesson began.

(A/N: If you'd like, I would actually be happy to write out some sort of an explanation for trig calculus. It's been too long since my last exam, and I'm hungry for more work! For this piece I figured people didn't want to read about maths, but correct me if I'm wrong!)

* * *

The teens were discreetly packing their books up, noting that the clock hand had long passed 2am.

"I never thought I'd say this Odie, but… Well, you actually make maths really cool." Archie admitted, looking over the countless equations they'd worked through. "I might actually enjoy studying for exams this year."

"Maths is great! Seriously, you guys are only just getting started on the good stuff." Odie answered happily, glowing like a lightbulb.

"Yeah, but this study time is really cutting into my beauty sleep." Neil whined, rubbing his eyes. "Why can't we just study at normal times like everyone else?"

"Because this is a _secret_ plan, Neil!" Archie hissed. "The whole point is that we'll all become totally date-able and successful and surprise everyone when we get back to school from summer break!"

"And hopefully get a girlfriend!" Odie added in optimistically.

"Yeah, and it won't work as well if people see us doing all this study and stuff! We have to just suddenly _appear_ awesome, so that everyone thinks we were like this the whole time." Archie explained. "So, midnight study sessions are just what we've gotta do."

"Who's next, anyway?" Odie asked. "I mean, I'll keep on with the maths lessons, but shouldn't we get started with all of our new skills to be honed?"

"I can start the workouts whenever you guys are ready." Herry offered easily. "Just tell me when you're all available. I've even got spare protein powder."

"As if you would need protein powder!" Odie butted in.

"No, but you guys might!" Herry answered pointedly. Odie just grimaced and nodded.

"Neil? When can you start the dating lessons?" Archie enquired.

"Well, maybe not for a little while… I've still got to script them! And then I have to sort out my teaching outfit, and how in depth we want the lessons to be…"

"Okay, we'll give you a week or two before we ask again." Odie interrupted, turning to Archie. "So, are you going to give us writing lessons then?"

"Hey, I said _fighting_ lessons, not writing lessons! I, uh, I totally hate writing!"

"Yeah right, we've totally seen-" Odie began, only to get cut off by Neil.

"Yeah _write_, you mean, Odie?"

"Neil…" Herry growled menacingly, doing his best to appear intimidating. Neil didn't seem fazed, but he at least stopped talking.

"Anyway." Odie continued, rolling his eyes, "We get plenty of fighting lessons from the mentors. And we know you can write well. I mean, I'd offer to do the English lessons myself, but-"

"You use words that are too big!" Herry interjected.

"Right. Well, anyway, we thought you ought to do those lessons instead, Archie."

"Fine." Archie mumbled, stuffing his books away. "But if I don't start school with an A in every class, perfect dating skills and fit enough to out-run Atlanta, you're dead meat."

Herry grinned.

"That's the spirit!"

* * *

As you can guess, this piece is something that really needs continuation- I'm thinking it'll be a sort of mini-series within the drabble? Tell me what you think ;)


	72. Cruel to be Kind

Well, hi again! I've just returned from a night out bush -well, in a small wooden house with no running water or electricity, totally infested with spiders and surrounded by bush on all sides-, which was actually really really fun! You guys probably already know I live in Australia, so it was a pretty exciting time- I haven't been to that little house in 5-ish years or more, but I went kayaking down the river and caught fish and wandered around at night and found frogs and things (with my Dad and my brother!) and generally tried not to think about the possibility of seeing snakes or other venomous animals.

This piece is actually for MO-5431's request... which, I realise now, I actually mis-read. Only a slight misinterpretation though! I'm intending that this piece is kind of a one-shot, and I'll follow it up with another chapter that explores all the other heroes' relationships with their mentors in less detail- but we'll see how much gets written. Thanks again to all my lovely reviewers- honestly, keep it up! Also, elusiveauthoress15: I always try to address my reviewers by name :) We're a pretty tiny fandom nowadays, so we've got to stick together! Speaking of which- I'm thinking of writing fanfiction for Fairy Tail, if anyone watches it? Anyway, hope you're having a lovely day, and enjoy!

ALSO: I wrote this based on the assumption that Ares taught Achilles- definitely not sure if that's mythologically correct! I made that assumption because on the first day when Archie is training, he says something like "Oh yeah? Who's faster than me?" and Ares answers "Your ancestor, Achilles."... So, I'm assuming in this universe that Ares trained Achilles and was present in the Trojan war!

* * *

"If I recall, Archie, I think I asked you to make that last one faster, not slower." Ares' voice had a hard edge to it, and his stout chest huffed proudly as he spoke, hiding from Archie the stopwatch in Ares' hand. Archie himself stood hunched over with his hands on his knees, every muscle in his body heaving with exhaustion. Even as he stood there, trying desperately to cling onto his rapidly unravelling breath, the ache in his legs seemed to be increasing.

"I…" Archie breathed desperately, not wanting to leave Ares unanswered, "tried, but…" He took another heaving breath, "I just… it must be an off day, I guess…" Archie's eyes were determinedly downcast, and he wasn't game to meet his mentor's gaze.

Ares took in his pupil's dishevelled appearance: how his whole body was shaking with every breath, how his hair limp with sweat and hands clung to his knees, attempting to prop him up. Ares sighed, trying to figure out if he was more frustrated with himself for having expected too much of his pupil, or with Archie for not meeting the standard. Most days Ares settled on himself.

"Heroes don't have off days, remember?" Ares answered gruffly, coaxing a disappointed huff from Archie.

"I- I know, Ares, you say that like every day…"

Ares felt himself give a rare, private smile under his moustache.

"Archie, you know why we do this training, right?"

"Uh, to beat Cronus?!"

"Well, yes." Ares agreed, crossing his arms, "But more than that. We do it to make you people into heroes- and that's never been an easy path."

"Yeah, but it doesn't have to be this hard, right?"

Archie was, after all, still puffing heavily as they had this conversation. Even as he spoke, Archie bent over and lay down on his back, his arm across his eyes and chest heaving. Ares surveyed his pupil, sighing.

"You ever heard of the phrase, "Be cruel to be kind", Arch? I know we push you a lot, but it's only because we know it'll help you in the long run. Perhaps we seem a bit harsh on you on days like these..."

"You can say that again!"

"…But it's because we know what it takes, and we want the best for you kids. And, we know what you're capable of. It's just our job to help you to reach it."

Archie frowned, still not content with the notion that nearly dying every training session was somehow beneficial to him.

"Look, Archie, we've all been through this before- making heroes. Achilles was as difficult a kid as yourself, and although it probably seems a bit hard to believe, he too had his weaknesses. He hated laps nearly as much as you do."

"If we both hated it, why'd you make us do it?"

Ares halted for a moment, irritated by his pupil's interruption to what was a rather meaningful monologue. He continued after sending a glare towards Archie's exhausted, puffing form.

"There were days when I thought maybe I was a bit hard on Achilles too. But I was there, and I saw when Achilles faced Hector in the Trojan War. Before he fought, Archie, there was no doubt in my mind that he'd win- not after all the training I saw him do. I couldn't imagine anyone existing who matched his fitness at that time. But that battle… well, actually, that's when he most reminds me of yourself." Ares added pensively, suddenly off-task.

"Me? Oh, come on Ares, as if."

"It's true."

Archie raised his eyebrows, intrigued. "You really think I'm as strong as Achilles?"

Ares pondered the concept before smiling. "It wasn't a physical comparison. Temperament, rather- you've heard of Achilles' victories in the war, right?"

"Only a few million times, whenever I'm getting lazy in the gym…"

"As I said, I fully believed in Achilles' physical strength, but that wasn't what earned him victories. Achilles was ruled only by his emotions, Archie."

"Yeah…" Archie agreed petulantly, bored by this discussion -he'd heard it a few times now-, "So why do I have to train so hard then, if I could just win by being really mad?"

Ares grimaced.

"Achilles' victories were a sight to behold- truly brilliant, if I say so myself. But if not for Achilles' motivating rage, I fear it would have been a much closer battle with Hector."

"Seriously? Achilles might have lost?" Archie stared up at Ares as he lay on the floor, dumbfounded. "No way, Ares. You're kidding."

"I'm not. And Achilles' rage made him a harsh man, one whom refused to show mercy even when begged. His legacy is one marred by cruelty." Ares sighed, then looked directly at Archie. "And that's why I have to push you so hard; not just because I know how good you have to be, but so that you never have to rely on such crude emotions to attain victory. I want you to have a better legacy than your ancestor, Archie." Ares spoke that last sentence with a sense almost of vulnerability, trailing off. Realising his error, Ares snapped back into his usual God-of-war mode, addressing Archie in his usual blunt fashion: "Now do you understand?"

Archie pulled himself up to sit cross-legged, lost in thought.

"Kinda…"

"What do you mean by that? I'm doing this so that-" Ares began, irritated that his lecture was potentially lost on a student. Archie spoke over him, still staring at the ground.

"I get why it has to be hard. Really, I do understand now." Archie gave an apologetic smile to Ares, "It's just…" Archie tried to find the words for it, "You never say, like 'good work', or… 'You did great today, congratulations'. Can't you just… be forgiving when we're not heroes yet?"

"You want me to treat you like a hero before you've done the hard yards? That's not like you, Archie."

"No, not like, heroes…" Archie took a long breath to steady himself, "But the odd compliment wouldn't hurt. We're doing pretty good for a bunch of teenagers."

"Well, actually, at your age, Hercules-"

"MORTAL teenagers."

Ares bit his tongue for a moment, affronted by Archie's comment. He sighed, then spoke more sombrely, as if he was explaining something like cancer or terrorism.

"Arch, you kids do great every day. I'm not here to praise you for that. I'm here to push you to go even further."

"Yeah, but just a spot of praise might not hurt us…"

"AND", Ares continued, eyeing Archie, "If I praised you for every good thing you did, I'd be here all day. That kind of riff-raff will go straight to your head, and as a male, mortal teenager, you certainly don't need any more ego."

Archie wasn't sure if he'd just received a compliment or not, but he caught himself smiling anyway. He began to get up now, wiping himself down as he stood.

"Well, thanks for the session, Ares."

He started to exit when Ares yelled from behind:

"Alright then, good work for today!"

Archie couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he left.


	73. Archie the Teacher

Well, here I am again! I've just been on a week-long holiday with no internet (hence the absence)... And I've recently just had a bit of a low patch, so I may not post as frequently. This whole "organising university" thing is more stressful than it seems! But I promise I'm still going strong! Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers, keep it up ;)

This piece is one part of the continuation of my previous chapter about Herry, Neil, Archie and Odie tutoring each other in their various skills- I do plan on writing a piece for all of them, _but_ it won't necessarily be all in a row; I'm likely to post other chapters in between.

* * *

As the clock struck midnight, all eyes were trained on the teacher: well, mostly. Neil's gaze tended not to look at something other than a mirror for more than a few seconds. But other than that, the purple-haired tutor had the room's three occupants' polite attention.

"So… well… writing."

Archie's fingers were knitted together as he spoke, and his eyes flitted all across the classroom, unable to stay put.

"It's, uh… writing is a really important skill to have, and, uh, I thought I'd teach it to you…"

His eyes still hadn't met anyone's gaze, and the whiteboard remained blank. Across the dusty basement, Herry was watching with a grin, Neil was rolling his eyes incessantly and Odie was smiling encouragingly, trying to look engaged.

"So, the, uh… the essence of writing is… is feeling stuff. Emotions. You know what I mean?" Archie paused, and for once his eyes seized everyone else's. Neil was startled from his eye-rolling reverie, and quickly spoke up in his high-pitched, dainty voice.

"Wait, can you repeat that? I must have tuned out."

It was Herry and Odie's turn to sigh.

"Well, Neil, writing is… is about feeling stuff. It's kind of like… like words are your way to contain an emotion for someone else to feel. You- you feel something, you write about it, and then you've kind of sealed your emotions in those words. It's a pretty special thing, really." Archie's last sentence was spoken without the usual tremor, and his eyes regained a quiet focus. Archie took a deep breath and ploughed on.

"Look, you guys, I know we do heaps of fighting training so that we're basically invulnerable. So we have no flaws, or anything, right? No weaknesses."

"Right."

"Right."

"Say what?! All this time, we've been training to avoid weakness?! I've been doing it for the looks!" Neil freaked out, his fingers to his temples. "How am I going to-"

"Neil!" Three voices hissed in unison, silencing him.

"Okay, so, like I was saying… no weaknesses. That's the aim when you're fighting. Writing is… well, actually, it's kinda the opposite. When you write, you're totally vulnerable. You've got to put all your thoughts -honestly, so no lying- onto the page. Even when you write about a fictional character, you're at least subconsciously telling us something about yourself. Writing is, well, I like to say it's kind of 'infused' with who you are. No matter what story you tell, it always reflects your own values. So, a good writer has to be able to express their inner selves comfortably, or else your writing just won't have what it needs to be a good piece."

Herry leaned over to Neil, beginning to whisper.

"Who knew Archie would be telling _us_ to be all vulnerable and emotional?!"

But over Herry's whisper, Odie spoke up with his hand in the air.

"Arch, I know you're the teacher here, but I gotta disagree. A good writer needs a sound understanding of language devices, features and forms to compose an effective text. To evoke emotions within an audience, a composer has to effectively utilise techniques such as metaphors and allusions to generate empathy for the experiences of-"

"Aaaaaaand that's why Archie's the teacher for English instead of Odie." Herry announced, cutting Odie off. Odie frowned, staring pointedly at Herry.

"Can I finish, at least?"

"Sure, buddy." Herry shrugged, "Just don't get so carried away. My brain's starting to hurt already."

Odie pretended not to hear that last bit, and instead stared directly at Archie as he spoke.

"As I was saying, writing is a very precise art, Archie. Emotions- I mean, I'm sure they're useful for writing, but the value of a work still hinges on its technical quality."

It was almost as if Archie had been expecting this discussion; he gave something of a knowing smile before answering.

"Odie, I get what you're talking about- seriously, I might hate Mrs White, but occasionally I bother listening to a few of her words about similes and stuff. But that's the way _your_ brain works- you get stuff when it's a science. I don't really think about writing the way you do. I promise I'll try to mention all the technical stuff, but let me do it my way first, yeah?"

Odie huffed.

"Fine. But don't blame me if you get page long love ballads that look like they've been written by a five year old when you teach them like this."

Archie grinned.

"Everyone's gotta start somewhere, Odie."

"Okay, okay, enough off-track, I'm missing enough beauty sleep as it is -so can we keep going with the lesson?!" Neil whined, tapping the table impatiently.

"Oh, yeah!" Archie answered, drawn back to the whiteboard, "Right. The lesson. Being vulnerable. Well, as I said, writing is always about putting some part of yourself on the page..."

"Like a horcrux!" Herry declared, his eyes alight with excitement at understanding some aspect of English for once.

"Uh, yeah, if you wanna see it that way, Herry. Anyway… so, the most important thing about writing is not to hate yourself for it. It's very easy to judge yourself harshly for the stuff you write, especially if you've got kinda low esteem. So the first rule is: never be ashamed of your own writing."

Archie paused, pulling out a whiteboard marker and scrawled: "_1\. Don't judge your writing too harshly."_ on the whiteboard, and the heroes simultaneously copied it into their notes. For a moment, Archie surveyed the three teens' scribbling, observing the classroom filled with the scratch of pencils on paper and the blunt air of commitment within his pupils. It gave Archie a little shot of confidence- a cause to continue the lesson. He began speaking again once everyone had copied the sentence down.

"Trust me when I say that after you fill in a diary or write a poem about someone you love or even just write a story, the first thing your brain does is find reasons to hate it. You gotta just block out any of that negativity, yeah?"

"Yeah…" The three answered half-in-unison, sounding entirely unenthusiastic.

"Come on guys, you're never gonna write anything good with that attitude! Gimme a 'Yes Mr Archie'!"

"YES MR ARCHIE!"

"That's better!" Archie gushed, smiling, "Now, I don't want to do too much in one night, so I'm actually going to stop at rule one and give you some homework. Sometime in the next three days, I want everyone to sit down with a pen and paper and set a timer for _at least_" -Archie eyeballed Neil at this point- "45 minutes. In that time, you've just got to write. I don't care if it's a story, or a diary entry, or a poem. Write a sequel to Star Wars if you want. Just put pen to paper and get to work. Your goal is to try not to judge yourself too badly, okay? I just want you to write without second-guessing what you're putting on the page. Next lesson, I'll edit all your writing and give you tips for improvement. If you're lucky, we can even start on rule two."

Archie's fear had all but vanished by now: he surveyed the class happily, before -as if struck by a vision- madly scrawling the homework across the whiteboard, then pompously underlining rule one before standing up straight and staring directly at the class of three.

"Everyone understand?"

"Yeah…"

"What did I say about that?!"

"YES MR ARCHIE!"

Archie smiled again. "Alright, class dismissed! And don't leave any mess!"

Neil couldn't help but whisper to Odie as he bent over under the table, checking for stray pencils.

"If you ask me, Archie's a little bit too good at this teacher thing…"

"I heard that, Neil!"

Both Odie and Neil tried not to snort, and instead just grinned sheepishly at each other under the table.

It was definitely going to be a summer break to remember.


	74. Realise

So, I'm back...

I apologise for disappearing- I just started college (which involved moving 5 hours from home and away from all my friends :( ) and it has been so, _so_ crazy. I will finish this drabble series, BUT it could be a long, long, looooooong time coming. The good news: although I haven't been writing much, I have had lots of crazy college adventures!

Anyway, a short, not-so-great piece today- feel free to review :D Hope you're having a lovely day xx

* * *

The first time Jay met Theresa, he felt it.

If you had asked him to describe "it", Jay would have stood tall, hid the blush and firmly said _N__othing but friendship. Respect. The sort of bond you form with someone you know will be a great team member._

But last time Jay checked, "team member" didn't quite encompass everything he felt. "Respect" and "friendship" didn't involve butterflies in your stomach at the thought of them; it didn't involve a jolt of both fear and excitement whenever his gaze met her green eyes, and it definitely didn't involve craving to just, just even _touch_ her skin.

Leaders were not supposed to act as Jay did.

He found himself knocking at her door far more often than anyone else's. Just, you know, to ask if she found training enjoyable or was settling in easily or needed help with English. Okay, the last one was a bit of a straw-grasp given that the girl aced English. Somehow, he always grabbed her as a training partner. A lunch buddy. An "I'll walk you to class" buddy. Minutes spent together piled up into hours scattered across errant, mundane tasks throughout the day, held together by nothing but this strange compulsion to be near her.

* * *

Theresa didn't feel it the first time they met.

He was the stressed, hyper-organised leader who couldn't see that he was perfect for the job. There were no anxious heartbeats every time he entered the room. No innate _need_ to impress him. For Jay, _it_ hit him from the day they met; but for Theresa, it took a little longer.

Maybe it began when he left her room, and she realised she'd been smiling since he knocked at her door. Maybe it was when she began to notice how much emptier her room felt when he left; a kind of emptiness that wasn't fixed by Atlanta's sisterly bond, or Neil's irritating-but-comforting conversations. If Theresa was honest, it was never instant- it was a slow, trickling realisation that she kind-of-loved his presence.

* * *

They both felt it when they stared into the sky that one night, and realised it wasn't just the stars they were there for.

They felt it when Jay's hand ran down her arm; a gentle touch followed by goosebumps along her skin. A thrill.

Neither of them had gone searching for the other that night;

and yet, it didn't seem quite by coincidence that they found themselves together.


	75. Burglar

Hey there!

As promised, **I haven't quit yet!** College has been crazy busy -hence why I haven't written much- but also insanely fun. Hope everyone is doing well xx

* * *

The Brownstone, even in the darkest hours of night, was never 100% safe.

Atlanta knew better than anyone that you couldn't get anywhere in this place without risking discovery. She crept down the hallway, tip-toeing with the ginger steps of a burglar.

"This is stupid…" Atlanta muttered to herself mutinously, eyes glancing sideways, "I shouldn't have to creep around my own home."

As she passed the stairs down to the kitchen, Atlanta heard sounds that resembled a predator munching on steak.

Definitely Herry. Dammit. Atlanta should have known he'd be awake now- it was just past midnight. Ideal time for a snack. Herry never could make it through the night without eating.

Luckily, Atlanta didn't need to pass _through_ the kitchen -after all, trying to do that unseen with Herry there would be hard, even with her speed- simply past the stairway. She stalked carefully past, eyes and ears alert for any sign of Herry making the return trip to his bedroom. That was one benefit of being a hunter: you could sense someone coming from miles away.

It was with a hunter's tread that Atlanta crept on. Past Jay's room, which of course had light peeking out from under the door. Past Theresa's room, at which point Atlanta was careful to control her thoughts. You never knew when a psychic might catch on. Past Neil's room, from which his notorious snore echoed, and past Odie's room, which had some weird flickering lights coming from within. Atlanta didn't feel the need to investigate. No doubt later they'd hear about the latest invention… hopefully it wasn't a burglar detector.

Atlanta's hand reached out to knock on Archie's door, but she thought better of it. Instead, she leaned in, hissing his name under her breath. Even that small noise prompted Atlanta to shiver in fear.

The door eased open, revealing Archie still in his day clothes. Atlanta wasn't sure he ever slept.

"Rough day?" He whispered the question as Atlanta slid in, his eyes showing a softness you rarely saw when Archie was with anyone else.

Atlanta smiled.

"Yeah, that's one word for it. Talk about pushy gods and goddesses. And my biology teacher is _such_ a..."

Archie sat back down on his bed, rolling his eyes.

"Well, get it off your chest then. It's not like I've got better things to do than listen to your problems."

"Jerk."

But the word had an almost kind undertone to it. A _my jerk_ sort of undertone, as opposed to _total jerk_.

The midnight trek had definitely been worth it.


	76. Life Lessons

So... what's this? I'm updating? That's right :)

Soooooo... enjoy!

* * *

They say experience is the greatest teacher, and there were many cases when the teens definitely learned their lesson the hard way.

Most of these cases did not, in fact, involve half mad vengeance-crazed Greek gods of time.

No, they just involved stupidity, experimentation and an inability to consider the possible outcomes.

* * *

**Lesson 1: If you know someone whom is psychic, can move objects at will and read minds, it is best _not_ to get them drunk.**

Or even remotely intoxicated.

The result:

Objects around the room will not stay put. Rather, they will hover, fall, fly and frequently hit people in the head.

Or, in Herry's case, in their… uh… special spot.

Mostly though, objects will just hover and float around drunkenly.

People's thoughts will become voiced very loudly.

For example, what Archie was thinking about Atlanta at that moment.

You can try denying it if you want, but even drunk, a psychic is hard to discredit.

**Lesson 2: If your girlfriend happens to be a very, very good hunter and you decide to play a prank on her and get caught out, do not try to hide in the forest.**

She will probably find you.

And when she does: the peaceful, remedial quality of nature will not have been enough to calm her down. Despite what you suggest to her about meditating for a moment or just "appreciating the wilderness".

If anything, she will be all the madder for having to hunt you down through thick forest.

**Lesson 3: Just because your friend is very good at physics and "science stuff" does not mean he is able to repair broken televisions without being electrocuted.**

Don't trust him when he says "Trust me, I'm a scientist."

And, when he has been unconscious for 2 minutes as a result of electrocution, don't listen when he says "It's fine, I'll just give it one more go."

**Lesson 4: Do not challenge people with super-human strength to a weight lifting contest, even if you decide you think you can win.**

And unless you have just won the lottery, _do not_ agree to make the loser shout lunch.

**Lesson 5: If you have a very, very heroic team leader whom happens to love fixing the world's problems, _do not_ let him anywhere near the tabloids. **

Especially not when there are titles such as "Sewer monster rises again" or "Mysterious man found in alley" or "Pet cat missing for 3 days".

Otherwise, you _will_ find yourself dragged along on various field trips "just to check it out." And even if it really doesn't appear to have anything to do with the God of Time, it's odds-on the leader will give his familiar smile and admit, "Yeah, but we should help anyway…"


	77. Adjustment

What?! I'm updating again?!

Yeah, I know. It's crazy. Consider it my gift to you... if you can call anything I've written a "gift". I think "chore" is more accurate, personally. My "attempt at a gift" is perhaps the best way to describe it. Anyway, enjoy :)

* * *

If there was one phrase most commonly uttered during the first few days at the Brownstone, it would probably be "So, can you really believe this?"

A close second was "Hey, you're missing home too, right?"

And equal contenders for third included "How can one human being POSSIBLY eat that much?!", "Has he really been in the shower since midday?" and "So, she can't _actually_ read minds yet, right?"

The final three mentioned were common to Atlanta -after all, the Brownstone was a place of many weird and wonderful happenings, and one generally couldn't help but feel a little dumbfounded at some of the things that went on- but if Atlanta ever uttered a word about homesickness or shock, it was with a voice that didn't quite belong to her.

Atlanta couldn't help but notice it: within days of arriving at the Brownstone -much like spiders weaving webs around them- each teen sought to recreate elements of home around them. For Herry this meant a rather exorbitant number of teddies adorning the bed; for Neil, mirrors everywhere in his room. Odie began to read up on the school syllabuses and meet professors in between his many hours at the library, and Theresa's walls were peppered with photographs of people from her own little world. It seemed that homesickness and nostalgia were common ailments across the Brownstone's inhabitants.

All except Atlanta, of course.

She hadn't realised it was obvious- not until Jay mentioned it as they wandered home from school together after a late maths class.

"So, how're you going with the whole adjustment process?" Jay asked as they meandered through the park. Sunlight danced across their backs as the trees rustled in the wind, and Atlanta delivered her answer quickly and easily- practice certainly made perfect.

"Oh yeah, you know, missing home a bit, that kinda thing. The usual."

Atlanta's eyes traipsed her sneakers though, hands gripping her backpack. She noted that Jay hadn't responded, and continued quickly.

"I mean, uh, definitely homesick. How about you?"

Jay smiled somewhat knowingly, looking ahead as he answered: "It's hard not to feel it a bit. But to be perfectly honest, you seem pretty okay with this whole 'leaving home' thing."

Atlanta shrugged, and felt a bubbly, warm smile rising.

"Honestly? I really don't mind it. I mean, yeah, I miss some of my friends, but I'm sure I'll be back. They'll always be there waiting."

"I guess you're right." Jay responded, running a hand through his hair, "So you're not missing home much then?"

Perhaps Atlanta's next sentence requires some explaining:

Herry sought to recreate the comfort of home with his teddy bears. Archie did so by going for runs in the morning like he always did. Jay watched the sky at night to remind himself that it wasn't really that different at all here. Everyone had some element of home that made it, well, home. Maybe it was the love of those around you, or the routines, or the night sky. For Atlanta though, she had always found comfort in adventure. Home was in no particular place for her: it existed when she stumbled across new challenges or experiences- something that New Olympia was brimming with. So when Jay asked whether Atlanta missed home, her answer was simple:

_I'm already home._


	78. What Has To Be Done

Hey, so guess what: I'M UPDATING AGAIN!

This is more of a fun piece. One of those "hey, this scenario popped into my head, so I wrote it" type pieces. Nothing dramatic. Hopefully you will enjoy ;)

also also also: there will likely be more romantic stuff coming up. Just because I haven't written it in a while. AND, if you have any requests or prompts, go ahead!

* * *

"That's it, WHO ATE ALL MY KALE?!" Neil's pitchy voice pierced the ears of everyone present in the kitchen.

"Neil, everyone knows that Herry snacks on people's food. Just get over it already." Archie answered tiredly from the couch.

"I am not just 'getting over it', Archie. That kale was part of my seven day meal plan to reduce skin pallor and increase youthfulness! Now I'll age like everyone else!"

"Dude, does that mean I'm, like, forever young if I eat that grass stuff or whatever?" Herry inquired, walking to the door.

"QUITE POSSIBLY!" Neil squealed piercingly, "And it's KA-EL. Not grass, you uncultured swine."

Herry just gave a small chuckle before exiting quietly.

"Wait, did Neil just call Herry a pig?" Asked Odie.

"Well he's enough of a carnivore!" Neil retorted, "Eating all that _meat _and stuff!"

"Neil, you only started eating a vegetarian diet yesterday." Atlanta butted in.

"It's Palaeolithic, to be precise. And I prefer not to associate myself with the carnivorous movement these days."

Luckily the din of the lawnmower drowned out the resulting silence as Atlanta stared incredulously at Neil.

* * *

Theresa was meditating in the morning sun when Neil's high-pitched squeal from the kitchen interrupted her otherwise peaceful thoughts.

_Never mind, just keep focussing… _Theresa told herself, taking a deep breath. _Calm now…_

The pitter-patter of heavy footsteps that could only belong to Herry stumbled across the backyard, following by the revving of an engine.

"Herry, what are you-"

The RUM-RUM-RUM-RUM of the lawnmower drowned out the rest of Theresa's sentence. Theresa looked on quizzically as Herry charged over the lawn in mad, drunken swirls at high speed before quickly turning off the lawnmower.

"Herry, um… any reason you're randomly mowing patches of the lawn at 8am on a Saturday morning?"

Herry, now half bent and picking up the freshly cut grass, looked up sheepishly at Theresa.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you."

"That's okay. But, uh, why are you collecting the grass?"

Herry shrugged. "Well, Neil was all out of kale, so… A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."


	79. Exit Wounds

Bullets are designed very, very carefully nowadays.

They're shaped so that they enter the body quickly, smoothly and easily: slipping in like they belong there. The entrance wound of a bullet is never the problem.

But once the bullet enters your body, that's when the real damage occurs. The bullet twists and turns and ricochets, leaving only empty space behind it prior to making its exit. The exit wound, unlike the entrance wound, is meant to be fatal: the bullet spins and tears the skin and flesh, leaving a gaping hole out the other side that no one is supposed to survive long with.

For Archie, loving Atlanta was very much like that.


	80. Final Chapter

Wait, I'm updating _again_?! Who knew I could produce so much writing?!

Not me...

Anyway. So. Lately I've been really attracted to the theme of goodbyes and farewells and moving on from people. I guess it gives you guys a bit of a hint about what's been happening in my life lately. I hope you don't mind, I just really enjoy writing this stuff at the moment. And I can't thank you enough for all the wonderful reviews! Seriously, they're so awesome. I thrive off them and they do keep me writing. And shout out to historianGirl for making fanart of both myself and Merdisney's drabbles! That's super duper cool.

Oh, and finally - the past few chapters are all very new so you might not have seen them. If you've got time to burn, have a look ;)

* * *

There came a time when Theresa had to close the book.

Of course she had cried afterwards. The words were not easy to spit out:

_Hey, I really appreciate you, but I don't want to be in a relationship any more. I'm sorry._

Rather, they were like dust in her throat. They felt cruel and unnatural. Despite scripting them in her head so many times, they still sounded inadequate when she spoke them. But for a moment, after she'd forced the confession from her lips, Theresa felt it: relief.

The relief disappeared when she saw how Jay's expression cracked like a china doll. How her words moulded his eyes into something sort of gloomy; like a candle blown out. Of course regret swathed her in that moment.

Of course it hurt.

But, as Theresa reminded herself so many times in the following months, that didn't mean it wasn't the right thing. It was like her mother once told her: _pain is such an awful experience, but it doesn't mean you're moving in the wrong direction_. Jay was Theresa's first love - of course it would ache to let go of him.

And there were nights - so, so many - when the loneliness tried to convince Theresa to go back to the goofy, perfectionist leader she had once loved. There were tears that commemorated everything they'd once had. Everything that could have been. There were diary entries, photos and poems and daydreams of the future that Theresa had said goodbye to. And there was always that hissing voice in the back of her mind: the _what if_ one that loved to taunt her about what could have been. So many times, the voice nearly won.

And there were days when perhaps the sun caught his hair a certain way, or he smiled when he said Theresa's name - _like old times_ \- and the butterflies would rise in Theresa's chest again. The criminally wonderful joy would still bubble in her veins at the thought of him.

It was an internal battle waged for months. Theresa's weapons were simple: the ugly memories. Nights when the stress of being team leader pushed Jay to snap at Theresa. Mornings when she could see the mountain of worries he hosted, but refused to share. Afternoons when instead of showing compassion, he demanded more of her, like pulling thread from a woollen jumper. And Theresa was unravelling, bit by bit.

_I have to do this for me_, she had told herself.

Yes, it was painful. Memories wrapped themselves around her and tried to claw her back. But time passed, and somehow… it got easier. The strangling, suffocating weight in Theresa's chest became more like a gentle tug.

And many months later, the butterflies returned. This time for a different face. This new boy's lips did not fit Theresa's like a jigsaw puzzle as Jay's did. His words did not answer her questions as Jay's once had. But his laughter was like a soothing melody, and it brought a kind of solace that Theresa had never known. His lips smiled in their own magical way when he uttered Theresa's name. Somehow, the impossible had happened: the love Theresa felt for Jay became nothing but a beautiful memory.

Theresa could only hope it felt the same for him.


	81. Independent

So... I'm back! Again! And yes, I'm still trying to finish this series. But I'm kinda focusing on writing my own stuff now, hence I've been busy with NaNoWriMo. And I've been just generally busy with life-y things. Thank you so so so much to all reviewers, and I hope you guys enjoy this :)

* * *

Feet pounded the pavement with a slap-scrunch noise on cement that Atlanta knew all too well. Just as city-slickers knew the sound of traffic meant home, or farmers took the bleating of sheep as nothing more than white noise, the sound of running was nothing more than background music to Atlanta's life. Theresa's footsteps were slightly out of rhythm with Atlanta's, as she plodded along half a step ahead of her best friend. Theresa's orange hair was tousled by the wind as the pair jogged along, the path disappearing beneath them. Their breaths heaved in and out like a perfectly timed machine, knees lifting and falling like waves lapping the shore. Atlanta always forgot it, but a good run could fix any bad day. She could feel her stress and woes loosening their grip on her mind with every step.

"Do you normally run this way?" Theresa asked, her eyes taking in the pretty green leaves that reached toward the sky.

"Not always. Archie prefers the paths further from the pond. But I run it every now and again."

"It's so pretty."

Atlanta just nodded. There weren't any more words necessary. That familiar sense of peace that running gave Atlanta was settling over her.

It was a few minutes of hearts beating in tandem in comfortable silence before Theresa spoke again.

"Atlanta?"

"Yeah?"

Green eyes flickered across to Atlanta, scanning. Theresa's gaze always seemed to pierce further than most. Perhaps it was a psychic thing.

"What's up?"

It wasn't a harsh question. Theres's voice was laced with kindness - the sort of voice you knew would accept whatever answer you gave it.

Atlanta's eyes traipsed the ground, watching her sneakers scratch the pavement as they ran. Atlanta thought she had been hiding it from everyone well enough, but Theresa had seen through her attempts at secrecy. Atlanta had to had it to her - Theresa had taken Atlanta to the one place she would be at ease enough to answer honestly. Running.

"It's Archie, isn't it? You two haven't been the same lately."

"Yeah." Atlanta admitted. "We're… I think we're gonna take a break. Just for a bit."

"How come? You guys seemed to be going well."

They turned another corner, now chugging along past the pond. The park was empty; the imposing grey sky in the distance must have scared off any potential visitors. Atlanta couldn't blame them.

"It's not that… it's not him or anything. He's his usual dorky self." Atlanta admitted. She couldn't help the smile that painted her lips as she said the word _dorky_.

"You're scared." Theresa answered. It wasn't a suggestion - rather, an admission she knew Atlanta couldn't manage on her own.

Atlanta gave a knowing grimace. "Yeah. I guess… but he's so great. Really."

"But you're afraid of committing. Of feeling that much, right?"

Atlanta gave Theresa a shrewd look. "I thought you were developing your skills to use on Cronus, not me."

Theresa smiled. "I don't have to use my powers for this one."

"It's left ahead." Atlanta put in, nodding towards a fork in the path.

"Gotcha."

"But…" Atlanta began again. She knew Theresa wouldn't let this go. Not before Atlanta was more honest. "He's great. Really. He's like… a best friend you just wanna make out with. All the time." Atlanta smiled sheepishly. "But I've never been, like, tied down before. I've always been on my own, you know?"

"You've always been independent, if that's what you mean."

"Yeah. Exactly." They took the left turn at the fork, and Atlanta brought the pace down. Talking and running didn't combine well. "I just don't think I'm right for this kinda commitment. I've got too much to do on my own. And I'm not used to being dependent on someone. Like… he knows stuff about me. Secrets. I actually… something about me actually needs him. I've never really needed someone else before. It's not my style."

"So you want to break up with him then? Because you don't want to be dependent?"

Theresa's question made something twist in Atlanta's stomach. A weight settled; uncomfortable, cruel.

"Yeah."

Theresa smiled. "Atlanta, really?"

"What?!" Atlanta snapped back. "I'm allowed to want to be independent."

Theresa was still smiling. "You two really are just too perfect for each other."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, do you really think Archie isn't afraid of being dependent too? He's, like, the biggest lone wolf I've ever met. He hates sharing secrets. He hates seeming like he needs any kind of help. You're both the most independent, secretive people I know. And you both decided to open up to each other anyway."

Atlanta didn't answer instantly. For once, she didn't have a response. But Theresa didn't seem to need one. They picked up pace again, courtesy of Atlanta. It was a few minutes before Theresa broke the silence for the last time, just as they turned up at the end of the Brownstone's street.

"So, you still planning to break up with Archie?"

Atlanta pursed her lips as she pushed open the Brownstone door.

"I'm still thinking. Thanks for joining me on the run, by the way. It always helps to chat."

Atlanta trudged up the stairs, not taking off her sneakers. Theresa waited by the door, smiling to herself as she took her shoes off.

There was no way those two were going to break up just yet.


	82. Income

"Okay, Neil, how do you become a model?" Herry asked as Neil strutted through the front door, his arms overladen with bags from various designer stores.

"Really? You want to model?" Neil asked, surveying Herry as he lay across the couch. He'd probably claimed it after training - it was Herry's post-workout routine to make a protein shake then lie on the best couch for a good hour before he bothered moving again. "I mean, you'd be great, you've got so much muscle that I'm sure sports store would go kuh-razy for you, but why now? You've never seemed keen before."

"Well, you're always walking in the door with all this shopping stuff. I just don't get how you afford it. Modelling must pay amazingly. And it can't be that hard. You just stand and pose, right?"

Neil decided not to enter into the "why modelling is actually a very demanding job" discussion, and instead focused on the easier topic: earning money.

"Well, it pays okay…" Neil began. "But most of my income actually comes from my youtube channel."

"You have a channel? How does that make money?"

Neil smiled. "I can show you, if you want. Just my more famous videos."

* * *

Neil was scrolling through his channel, biting his lip as he tried to decide which video was best for Herry. Contouring wasn't any good, and his review of spray tan products wasn't really necessary given Herry spent so much time outdoors.

"Wow… how many people watch your stuff?"

"A few hundred thousand. I'm hoping to reach one million subs by the end of the year."

"A million…" Herry trailed off. A million people listening to Neil harping on about beauty? The team couldn't stand it for five minutes. "So… you really earn money from this?"

"Oh yeah. I mean, I'm not the biggest blogger so I don't get _that_ much from it, but given living here doesn't cost rent or food money, it means I have a fair bit of spare cash. And I get heaps of free stuff."

"Best and worst exfoliators? What even is an exfoliator?" Herry asked, leaning in. "Sounds like some kinda evil machine."

"It's just a cleanser for you skin. So you can clear your pores before you tone and moisturise. I sampled heaps of them a few months back. I mean, my poor skin [or PORE skin? Get it?! Oh god. Why are my jokes so bad.] nearly died altogether to test so many cleansers, but it got me heaps of views."

Herry squatted down behind Neil, watching Neil's small, online world scroll past. It was all a mystery to Herry; contouring, cut creases, best and worst spray tans, the advantages of shellac vs acrylic nails, whether MAC products were worth the cost, best cruelty free brands - there was even a video on best make up sponges. Were make up sponges different to dish cleaning sponges? Herry wondered. He'd have to ask Neil sometime.

"Does anyone else in the team know about this?" Herry finally asked. "I mean, you've got, like, an entire business you run."

Neil shrugged. "Atlanta watched my video about cruelty free brands, and Theresa's always asking to borrow my products. But like, it's not that big of a deal, this channel."

"Dude, this is amazing." Herry argued. "When it comes to beauty and stuff, you're like… the Odie of beauty. I can't believe you've had this all this time."

Neil actually looked remotely modest. "Really?"

"Yeah. Honestly, you've got so many followers. You're set for money."

Neil pondered that for a moment, allowing Herry's compliments to sink in.

"Hey, Herry…"

"Yeah?"

"Can I do your face? Like, make up and eyebrows? I've been _dying_ to sort out your eyebrows."

"Uh… maybe later…" Herry answered, hoping it would deter Neil.

"Please?"

The puppy eyes were out. Herry sighed. He never could turn Neil down when he got so hopeful.

"Fine. I guess it can't hurt, right?"

Neil squealed in delight.

"Okay, well I guess we'll start with the eyebrows, and you'll need a darker foundation than me…" Neil began, rushing around and happily grabbing bottles and tubs. "Oh, Herry, this is so exciting! I _never_ get to do guys' faces!"

Herry just smiled at Neil's excited frenzy. Maybe it was just Herry's nature, but it felt good to make Neil so happy.


End file.
